High-Level Project Summary
We developed a teacher's workplan. This is a one day lesson which is divided into parts: P - Plan, C- Construct, L - Launch, T - Track, R - Recover. We described what needs to be done to launch a HAB including buying materials, acquiring approvals, selecting type of tracker, testing parachute, choosing a balloon, filling a balloon with helium, launch, tracking, recovering. Using our manual anyone can send a High Altitude Balloon experiment. HAB missions teach how to: work in a group, solve problems, utilize satellite systems, use radio communication, cooperate with air traffic authorities. Because of low costs HAB mission could be the first step into first-hand space exploration.
Link to Project "Demo"
Link to Final Project
Detailed Project Description
Project consists of detailed description providing all necessary information how to send a ballon into the stratosphere.
A ballon will be carrying a payload which may be adjusted to user preference - we are proposing a gopro camera and a tracker. Having this equipment on board we can achieve additional goals - we not only send a high-altitude balloon on 30km height but also take photos and film in space and follow the HAB's trajectory of flight. It enables us to find a payload after landing.
To make it happen we need some basic elements:
- a balloon,
- a parachute,
- helium or hydrogen (helium preferred due to hydrogen safety considerations) ,
- tracker
- optional payload.
It is described in the project what should be taken into consideration when choosing particular components. We assume that first part of the project - PLAN needs to be done mostly by a teacher before the lesson. An essential part of this stage is to set design assumptions and create shopping list of the products. Apart from buying all the necessary equipment, it is mandatory to request a permission from local air traffic control authority long before planned lesson. Students during lesson estimate possible track of flight depending on meteorological conditions. When having all necessary components and PLAN phase finished we can start CONSTRUCTION part. It takes place mostly during lesson - teacher divides students into groups, share parts between them and give brief instructions how to compose it. When parts of the project are put together we can start the LAUNCH part. It has to be done outdoors from where we send the balloon. After filling the balloon with gas and attaching the payload a whole construction is ready to go!
Showtime, we launch the balloon!
The next part is related to live observation of the trajectory of flight - TRACK. It is possible thanks to the onboard GPS tracker which enables us to monitor location of our payload. RECOVERY - because we followed the track of our flight we can find the capsule after landing and save it for next missions.
There are some possible modifications and upgrades that can be done. For example, in our scenario most of the preparation is done be the teacher. A project may be a several-months task for students or a one-day experiment - it's up to the user to decide!
The whole scenario is made as a website app to make it easier to reach : letshavesomehab.com
Space Agency Data
We are inspired by Rexus/Bexus programme which relates to balloons missions in space. Accordig to this projets each year two balloons are launched into space as a result of students work. We would like to develop similar idea and make it more reachable for every student. When working on this case we found out what are main parts of the project and how to develop each of these to make it clear and well-planned. Much information from NASA balloons missions were helpful, especially in planning and preparing the launching. We also used other resources - students works or low-cost projects that have been done before.
Hackathon Journey
Space Apps experience showed us how much we are able to do in less than 48 hours when working as a team! We have been learing how a real brainstorms look like and how to compromise in discussions. Problem-solving works best when exchanging each other ideas.
We believe that such projects are highly-educational and provide students with some real-life knowledge that is a great adventure as well! When realizing this experiment you can feel that you are a part of something bigger. Our team wants to reach with this idea as much students as possible - we would like to prove that balloon mission do not have to be expensive and unreachable. In response to this concernes we created a scenario with all detailes that explains how anyone can make it.
References
Websites:
- https://predict.habhub.org/
- https://earth.google.com/web/
- https://www.kaymont.com/habphotography
- http://habhub.org/calc/
- https://airspace.pansa.pl/
- https://www.faa.gov/
- https://www.highaltitudescience.com/
- Nordqvist E. Preliminary design of a modular high altitude balloon power distribution system Digitala Vetenskapliga Arkivet
- https://ukhas.org.uk/
- https://lastminuteengineers.com/arduino-micro-sd-card-module-tutorial/
- https://www.findmespot.com/en-us/products-services/spot-trace
- https://gopro.com/en/
Tags
#PilotageTeam, #Letshavesomehab, #HAB
Global Judging
This project has been submitted for consideration during the Judging process.