WVU Sounding Rocket Student Project Conceptual Design Review

WVU Sounding Rocket Student Project Conceptual Design Review West Virginia University D. Vassiliadis, Y. Gu, D. Pisano, E. Scime 10/14/2009 Rock. Sat 2010 Co. DR 1

Mission Objectives – Primary objective: education and outreach. • Develop student technical skills • Grow program alongside existing space-related WVU programs – Secondary objective: basic-level research. • Measure 3 fundamental physical variables to characterize the atmospheric environment during flight – Neutral-species temperature – Plasma density – Magnetic field Rock. Sat 2010 Co. DR 2

Mission Research –Brief overview of underlying science: • Temperature: Atmospheric layers are heated via wellknown different mechanisms: identify layer width based on observed temperature profile • Plasma density: UV ionization above 100 km produces ionosphere, also subdivided in regions – Rocket apogee of 115 -120 km: access to ionospheric E region peak (during daytime) – Experiment measures plasma frequency (~1 MHz, simple function of density) and harmonics – Under certain conditions: high-density patches from F region (“spread-F” phenomenon) • Magnetic field: strongly involved in plasma structure and dynamics. – Experiment measures power-law decrease of field magnitude with geocentric distance; – Under certain conditions: very low-frequency (VLF; 0. 1 -10 Hz) waves with periods sufficiently smaller than flight duration Rock. Sat 2010 Co. DR 3

Mission Research (cont. ) – Contributions to ionospheric research • Above 3 variables measured routinely by sounding rocket missions for several decades. This mission is primarily educational rather than basicresearch. • However, one experiment (plasma-density) is non-trivial because of limitations related to access to plasma element of novelty in payload design. Rock. Sat 2010 Co. DR 4

Mission Overview – Mission Requirements: • Apogee: should be at/above E region peak (~110 km) • Timing: daytime (dawn-dusk) launch is preferable (daytime decrease of E region peak height. Decrease is greatest in June due to seasonal variation). • Magnetic field measurements: vehicle subsystems should be as magnetically quiet as possible • Plasma density experiment has 2 options all of which are explored at present: – Radio sounding through optical port; – Mass spectrometer at atmospheric port. – Success Criteria • Obtain high-quality temperature and magnetic field measurements • (For sufficiently low-noise observations) identify VLF wave signatures in Bfield data • Obtain plasma density as function of altitude consistent with E region profile • (Under high-activity conditions) high-density patches identified as spread-F. Rock. Sat 2010 Co. DR 5

Mission Overview (cont. ) – Benefits: • To students: learning new skills and science • To university programs: adding new program to array of space-related WVU programs (scientific ballooning, UAV, microgravity, etc. ) • To university programs: stronger connections between physics and engineering departments • Eventually to research: expansion of space physics and space engineering programs Rock. Sat 2010 Co. DR 6

Payload Design – Hardware for temperature and B-field experiments: Measured Variable Instrument Brand Model Trajectory X-Y accelerometers Analog Devices ADXL 78 (lo-res) Z accelerometer Analog Devices ADXL 103 (hi-res) Temperature IC sensor National Semiconductor LM 50 Magnetic flux density Micromagnetomet er Honeywell HMC 2003 • Note: models cited are representative only. Actual models may comprise several functions on a single component, similar to an inertial sensor. Rock. Sat 2010 Co. DR 7

Payload Design (cont. ) – Hardware for plasma-density experiment. One of 2 options will be selected subject to Wallops regulations: • Radio: A low-power source emits a swept frequency signal close to plasma-frequency cutoff (1 -MHz). A wideband receiver detects the reflected signal at the cutoff frequency so the ambient density can be calculated. • Mass spec: A quadrupole mass spectrometer measures the nearthermal proton population. A calibrated leak valve is used for sample flow control and vacuum reservoir to maintain pressure. Rock. Sat 2010 Co. DR 8

WVU SRP Functional Block Diagram: Radio Option RBF 2 x 9 V Power Radio Board Main Board G-switch Flash Memory MOD 5213 Processor Optical port G-switch μ-Mag A D C Wideband Receiver Temp Sensor XY Accel Swept-f Emitter Z Accel ADC Controller /Clock Legend Power Control Data Rock. Sat 2010 Co. DR 9

WVU SRP Functional Block Diagram: Mass Spec Option RBF 2 x 9 V Power Mass-Spectrometer Board Main Board G-switch Flash Memory MOD 5213 Processor Atmospheric port μ-Mag A D C Temp Sensor Amplifier Detector Magnet Pump XY Accel Z Accel ADC Controller G-switch Legend Power 5 x 9 V Power Control Data Rock. Sat 2010 Co. DR 10

Rock. Sat Payload Canister User Guide Compliance – Payload mass and volume Estimated mass (kg) Estimated volume (LWH, cm 3) Estimated volume (canister) 1 18 x 5 1/5 2. 5 18 x 7 ¼ Radio option Mass spec option – Payload activation • G switches (compliant with WFF “no volt” requirement) • Remove-Before-Flight (RBF) strap – Rocket Interface • Shorting wires: patterned after those of Rock. On payload Rock. Sat 2010 Co. DR 11

Shared Can Logistics Plan – University payloads in canister and one-line summary of mission: • WVU: Upper atmospheric physics (1/4 can) • Temple U. : vibration isolation mechanism (1/2) • U. Louisiana: Expanded Rock. On payload with altimeter, GPS (1/2) – Plan for collaboration on interfacing • WVU has initiated online discussion with TU and ULL • TU has provided some initial information and will continue immediately after Co. DR telecon • WVU and ULL will need access to an optical port so we are discussing location and interfacing issues. Rock. Sat 2010 Co. DR 12

Management – Organizations involved: • Physics: Profs. Vassiliadis, Pisano, Scime • Aerospace: Profs. Gu, Napolitano • Allegany Ballistics Laboratory (ABL): external review and testing – Preliminary mass/monetary budgets • Mass budget: 1 -2. 5 kg (see table on p. 9) • Monetary budget: $4, 500. Rock. Sat 2010 Co. DR 13

Management (cont. ) –Schedule • Student training • F 2009: Project schedule • S 2010: 3 -credit course as part of advanced lab • Testing: default: at MAE; possibly also at ABL Rock. Sat 2010 Co. DR 14

Concluding Remarks – Issues and concerns: 1. The use of a radio pulse emitter is critical and needs to be resolved soon. The radio option will result in a compact, novel plasma-density experiment. The mass spectrometer option produces a heavier, higher-wattage, traditional payload. 2. Space allocation: currently total payload volume from 3 institutions exceeds 1 canister. If no agreement can be reached among institutions, it would be important for Rock. Sat to resolve the situation. – In closing, the project has attracted a good number of physics, ME, and AE students for this semester and has started providing them with the skillset needed for the fundamentals of payload development. As it develops into a course in spring 2010 the project is expected to continue to provide significant research and education experience. Rock. Sat 2010 Co. DR 15