Payload 05 Information
Payload Flight Number:
Institution:
Payload Title:
University of Maryland Advanced Balloon Communications Experiment (UMD/ABC)
Student Leader:
Faculty Advisor:
Payload class:
SMALL
Payload ID Number:
05
Mass:
2.5 kg
Current:
0.4A @ 30V
Serial Downlink:
Analog Downlink:
No
Serial Commands:
Yes
Discrete Commands:
No
Payload Specification & Integration Plan
Due:
Delivered:
Payload Integration Certification
Scheduled:
Actual:
Flight Operation Plan
Due:
Delivered:
Final Flight / Science Report
Due:
Delivered:
Abstract:
Reliable communications are a key requirement for successful sounding balloon flights being operated by an ever increasing number of universities and Space Grants. GPS tracking beacons are now very common, but there are many projects and experiments that could benefit from telemetry similar to that provided by HASP’s mini-SIP. The University of Maryland and Maryland Space Grant have been developing a next generation system that provides a total downlink of 9.6-128 kbps. This system has been flown numerous times with great success. The same team that designed the new system is also responsible for launching balloon flights in Maryland and it has proven difficult to properly characterize the communications link and to analyze antenna performance while trying to track and recover the payloads.
Monthly Briefings:
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