projects:apex-i
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| ====== Project Apex I ====== | ====== Project Apex I ====== | ||
| - | ===== A high altitude weather balloon launched by Sutton Grammar School in 2008/ | + | A high altitude weather balloon launched by Sutton Grammar School in 2008/ |
| - | === Project Aims === | + | ===== Project Aims ===== |
| {{projects: | {{projects: | ||
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| * To record environmental variables such as temperature and pressure at altitude | * To record environmental variables such as temperature and pressure at altitude | ||
| - | === Communication === | + | ===== Communication |
| Obviously, the most important part of the payload would be the communication to ground. We considered several options, but after discovering that mobile phone use would be illegal (as it is would be in range of too many antennas) and 2.4 GHz wireless networking would not provide sufficient range without expensive and delicate equipment, we came to the conclusion that packet radio on one of the amateur bands was the best option. | Obviously, the most important part of the payload would be the communication to ground. We considered several options, but after discovering that mobile phone use would be illegal (as it is would be in range of too many antennas) and 2.4 GHz wireless networking would not provide sufficient range without expensive and delicate equipment, we came to the conclusion that packet radio on one of the amateur bands was the best option. | ||
| We initially made the mistake of trying amateur radio, but discovered after a few months that OFCOM prohibits the use of these transmitters in unmanned airborne systems. The alternative seemed to be PMR446, which allows 0.5W maximum transmission power. | We initially made the mistake of trying amateur radio, but discovered after a few months that OFCOM prohibits the use of these transmitters in unmanned airborne systems. The alternative seemed to be PMR446, which allows 0.5W maximum transmission power. | ||
| - | === The Payload === | + | ===== The Payload |
| After several weeks of research followed by several months of design and manufacture, | After several weeks of research followed by several months of design and manufacture, | ||
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| Of course, some degree of control over the payload is advisable. As such, we installed a “cutdown” device to allow us to sever the cord between the balloon and the parachute at any time, thereby making the balloon come back down to Earth. This was essentially a piece of nichrome wire coiled around the nylon flight string. Other noteworthy hardware systems include two 1W LEDs that activated during landing to ease payload recovery in the dark, and methods to reboot pieces of hardware, should they fail during flight. | Of course, some degree of control over the payload is advisable. As such, we installed a “cutdown” device to allow us to sever the cord between the balloon and the parachute at any time, thereby making the balloon come back down to Earth. This was essentially a piece of nichrome wire coiled around the nylon flight string. Other noteworthy hardware systems include two 1W LEDs that activated during landing to ease payload recovery in the dark, and methods to reboot pieces of hardware, should they fail during flight. | ||
| - | === The Balloon, Parachute & Helium === | + | ===== Balloon, Parachute & Helium |
| The balloon and parachute came from an American company named Kaymont. The KCI-1200 balloon seems the most popular for similar projects, and the parachute was one recommended to be by a company representative. Helium was provided under staff discount from Air Products in the UK. The cylinder was the X47S type, with filling equipment from ABC Inflatables. | The balloon and parachute came from an American company named Kaymont. The KCI-1200 balloon seems the most popular for similar projects, and the parachute was one recommended to be by a company representative. Helium was provided under staff discount from Air Products in the UK. The cylinder was the X47S type, with filling equipment from ABC Inflatables. | ||
| - | === The Base Stations === | + | ===== Base Stations |
| After careful consideration and extensive experimentation, | After careful consideration and extensive experimentation, | ||
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| We knew from the beginning that we would be taking two vehicles to the launch site, so two tracking stations were set up. This allowed us some degree of flexibility in terms of deciding which routes to take when tracking the balloon. | We knew from the beginning that we would be taking two vehicles to the launch site, so two tracking stations were set up. This allowed us some degree of flexibility in terms of deciding which routes to take when tracking the balloon. | ||
| - | === Funding === | + | ===== Funding |
| Virgin Galactic has very helpfully offered us a large proportion of the project budget in terms of sponsorship, | Virgin Galactic has very helpfully offered us a large proportion of the project budget in terms of sponsorship, | ||
| - | === The Launch === | + | ===== The Launch |
| The Launch | The Launch | ||
| Line 82: | Line 82: | ||
| {{projects: | {{projects: | ||
| - | === Other Links === | + | |
| + | ===== Team ===== | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Leaders == | ||
| + | |||
| + | * Jon Sowman | ||
| + | * Ben Oxley | ||
| + | * Matthew Brejza | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Members == | ||
| + | |||
| + | * Richard Morris | ||
| + | * Andrew Cowan | ||
| + | * Edmund Mottershead | ||
| + | * Michael Georgiou | ||
| + | * Sam Gardner | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Staff == | ||
| + | |||
| + | * J. Costello | ||
| + | * R. Turner | ||
| + | * P. Davis | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===== Other Links ===== | ||
| [[http:// | [[http:// | ||
projects/apex-i.1240950217.txt.gz · Last modified: 2009/04/28 20:23 by jonsowman