MEAP/P-BACE launch and flight

Page 2Kiruna, 9. Oct 2008, M. Wieser, IRF

MEAP/P-BACE launch and flight

Martin Wieser Swedish Institute of Space Physics,

Kiruna, Sweden

and the MEAP/P-BACE team


Wanted: Payload

➲ October 2007, Esrange: Test of a circumpolar balloon flight

➲ Scientific payload needed

➲ 35..40km altitude➲ 100kg➲ Ready for launch

Summer 2008


MEAP

Mars Environment Analogue PlatformA stratospheric balloon platform for technology tests

➲ Earth stratosphere ≈ Mars atmosphere at surface➲ Earth stratosphere is a natural test environment for

instruments for Martian landers➲ Use long duration stratospheric balloon flight for extended tests

Parameter Mars Earth (30..40km)Pressure [mbar] 6.3 12 .. 3Temperature [degC] -80 .. -20 -46 .. -23

0 km 35 km=


P-BACE

Polar - Balloon Atmospheric Composition ExperimentA high resolution neutral gas mass spectrometer

➲ Built by University of Bern and Swedish Institute of Space Physics

➲ Mass spectrometer for planetary missions➲ Test fly the instrument design in a representative

environment and under realistic conditions➲ Measure atmospheric composition with high mass

resolution


MEAP/P-BACE collaboration

D. Abplanalp, P. WurzUniversity of Bern, Switzerland

PI-Institution, P-BACE hardware

M. Wieser, L. KallaInstitutet för rymdfysik

P-BACE software, communication link,logistics

T. HedqvistEsrange Space Center

Balloon and platform


P-BACE Sensor

➲ Neutral gas mass spectrometer of reflectron time-of-flight type with own vacuum system

➲ Mass resolution m/dm >= 1000

➲ Mass range:1.. 1000 amu/q

➲ One full mass spectrum every 65 seconds

➲ 6-7 orders of magnitude dynamic range (in 65 seconds)

➲ Sensor mass: 2kg


P-BACE instrument

➲ P-BACE sensor head➲ Linux based control computer➲ Commercial data acquisition board

used for front end electronics and data recording

➲ Two 2400bps Iridium satellite links for telemetry and commanding

➲ Two GPS receivers➲ Two redundant 16GByte solid state

disks, recovered after landing➲ Auxiliary sensors for pressure and

temperature

➲ 90 kg➲ 150W➲ Pressurized vessel

73cm x 71cm x 56cm


Semicircular flight

➲ ~14 days➲ Recovery in Sweden

➲ ~5 days➲ Recovery in Canada


The balloon

11 Million cft~334 000 m3Helium

200 m

Gondola:~400kg, (total susp. weight on balloon ~900kg)

Solar arrays on all 4 sides,> 200W on illuminated side

Scientific payload: 90kg, 150W


P-BACE on MEAP

3.7m boomGas inlet with microfilter

Iridium & GPSSatellites

Solar arrays

Platform control

Power distribution

Batteries

Redundant Iridium & GPS antennas

P-BACE pressure vessel

Gas feeding pump


IntegratedGondola

➲ GPS and Iridium antennas

➲ Payload container

➲ P-BACE gas inlet boom

➲ Crash pads

➲ Solar pannels

➲ Ballast


Operations


Waiting for launch

➲ Launch window opened 9. June

➲ Several launch attempts but always bad weather

➲ In mean time: Testing, testing, testing... Improving procedures... A lot of coffee... ...

➲ Webcam (attempt.m2v)


28. June 2008 05:07 UTC

Launch


LaunchPreparations


Filling


Launch movies

➲ Webcam (webcamlaunch.avi)

➲ Launch movie 1 (launch_still_images.avi)

➲ Launch movie 2 (MVI_2340_rot.avi)


Seen by many eyes...

Image: Stefan Bühler

Image: MST radar data

Launch05:07 UTC


MEAP/P-BACE flight path

➲ Launched from Esrange, Sweden on June 28

➲ Semicircular flight following the summer polar vortex

➲ 116 hours flight time➲ 5818 km distance➲ Altitude 33..38 km➲ Landed in Canada,

135km from Umingmaktok, on July 3.

Background image: NASA, http://visibleearth.nasa.gov/


Altitude profile


Commanding and telemetry

IRF-K GSE

Iridium Modem A + B

Modem GPS A + B

IridiumGateway

Network

PTSN

Storage Storage A + B

P-BACESensor

Onboard computer

IRF Webserver

P-BACEGround segment

Short burst data (like SMS)

2400 bps

Iridium satellite netw

ork


P-BACE data example

H2 N2

ArN

He

Quick look data:

Zoom in: Raw data No background

subtracted

Dynamic range: 6-7 orders of magnitude

Mass range:1-1000 amu/q, (1-50 shown)


Termination

➲ Termination movie (balloon_termination.flv, Parachute test flight for Mars Science Lander /JPL, http://stratocat.com)

Image: Google


3. July 2008 01:10 UTC

Landing


Touchdown

Image: CSBF

Image: Google

MEAP on parachute as seen from recovery aircraft moments before touchdown.

Google shows many lakes....

Image: CSBF

Lucky landing on dry land...


MEAP back on ground

MEAP with crashed solar panels (as planned) but otherwise completely intact. P-BACE was still recording GPS data!

MEAP with remainder of flight train and recovery helicopter in background


Umingmaktok, Nunavut

MEAP gondola arrives (movie) (uming.mpg)

Umingmaktok airfield

135km to UmingmaktokImage: Google

CSBF recovery crew


Solid state disk recovery

➲ Instrument was found in very good condition➲ Both disks were taken out of the instrument and data

copied successfully➲ Instrument prepared for transport by air


Development timeline

FlightJune 28 - July 3, 2008

Flight rehearsal, two launch attemptsDuring June 2008

Integration with MEAP, final software tests

Begin June 2008

Shipping to Esrange, SwedenLate Mai 2008

Test & CalibrationApril - Mai 2008

Integration of P-BACEApril 2008

Onboard and ground software development

March 2008

P-BACE development + manufacturingNovember 2007 - March 2008

Decision to fly P-BACE on MEAPNovember 2007


Summary

➲ Demonstrated fast development process➲ Very successful flight of MEAP/P-BACE➲ All objectives fulfilled➲ Valuable expertise gained by all involved parties

➲ Instrument back in Bern for refurbishment and post-calibration

➲ Data analysis in progress

http://www.irf.se/meap-pbace

Launch 22. October 2008


Supplementary slides


Atmospheric composition

Average measured 2000 at Mauna Loa Hawaii,http://cdiac.esd.ornl.gov/ftp/maunaloa-co2/maunaloa.co2The planetary scientists companion

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MEAP/P-BACE launch and flight

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