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Unmanned Spaceflight.com > All posts by a member| Posted on: Sep 29 2007, 11:10 AM | |
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Founder  Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1 
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Actually - the FAA ( and I'm looking up the UK version, the CAA ) are fairly liberal with these things up to a certain mass. Many of these balloons have ( and indeed one is going up today ) been launched from the UK - in a typical 2hr up 30 min down flight - you'll cover something like 30-100 miles. Launching from the western UK ( Wales ) would put you back down in central UK. I think the flight reg analogy is that if you're not going to launch something heavier than a duck, then what's the problem as no law's going to ground all the ducks and swans at 12000 ft  \I got bored - I went out to Maplin ( local electronics store ) and thought that I might need some soldering practice, as whatever we make I'm sure some soldering - even if just for power leads - will be required. They've got LOADS of cheap little kits - so I found the only one that seemed to make any sense for a payload...a small super bright white LED strobe kit. I figure I can rewire the LED's to be external to the WEB on cables running out the box, and perhaps on strut I thought we could mount a WAM for self portraits and in the case that we're still looking for the payload at night...it might help find it. Three little transistors, two capacitors, half a dozen resistors, a variable resistor and a brace of switches - cute little setup really (and suprisingly bright)Sorry - crap pics - using my cell phone's camera. And I've found a supplier for a suitably sized parachute for a 2kg payload ( 36 inch diam ) - it's on its way. Doug |
| Forum: Private Missions · Post Preview: #100987 · Replies: 225 · Views: 228687 |
| Posted on: Sep 29 2007, 10:34 AM | |
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1
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It depends how you do the maths - but today, tomorrow, at some point about now - Spirit is celebrating her second Martian Birthday. As is traditional with such things (well, I did it last time) - I sent birthday cards to Cornell & JPL thanking the scientists and the engineers for their hard work and their efforts in taking us along for the adventure with them. Steve tells me that the Cornell card has safely arrived, and that their MER model is now wearing her badge right between the Navcams Doug |
| Forum: Forum News · Post Preview: #100985 · Replies: 5 · Views: 15731 |
| Posted on: Sep 28 2007, 08:47 PM | |
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1
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| Forum: Conferences and Broadcasts · Post Preview: #100955 · Replies: 6 · Views: 7139 |
| Posted on: Sep 28 2007, 05:55 PM | |
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1
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Actually - the altitude will be limited by the envelope which seem to always burst at 80-110kft Doug |
| Forum: Private Missions · Post Preview: #100937 · Replies: 225 · Views: 228687 |
| Posted on: Sep 28 2007, 03:13 PM | |
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1
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Storage, Volume, Mass, Power, Money If you can find a small digital camera that can take movies of approx 2 hours onto SD card etc, and last that long on the battery, that's small enough (10 x 10 x 3 cm sort of size) and light enough (<300g) - then maybe. While movies are cool - I think I'd rather have mega-pixel stills than a lower res movie ( although both would be cool.)Real time video transmission is possible but typically not further than 5km with the transmisison power allowed by the radio spectrum laws. |
| Forum: Private Missions · Post Preview: #100916 · Replies: 225 · Views: 228687 |
| Posted on: Sep 28 2007, 02:23 PM | |
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1
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Payload wouldn't be thermally 'controlled' per.se - but something like a foam (there's 3cm thick foil covered foam available at my DIY store) cube which would thermally insulate it from the cold - and then the electronics inside would hopefully keep it fairly warm simply by using up the Whr's. I knew someone would start thinking of logo's and names before we got too far Doug |
| Forum: Private Missions · Post Preview: #100913 · Replies: 225 · Views: 228687 |
| Posted on: Sep 28 2007, 12:57 PM | |
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1
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At that level it's a little bit about luck - but I'd say the 30km, 100kft, 10% air pressure, mars air pressure type level is a sensible ultimate goal. Maybe not first time around - but eventually. Doug |
| Forum: Private Missions · Post Preview: #100907 · Replies: 225 · Views: 228687 |
| Posted on: Sep 28 2007, 11:40 AM | |
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1
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Nahh - we're doing balloons Doug |
| Forum: Private Missions · Post Preview: #100903 · Replies: 40 · Views: 65361 |
| Posted on: Sep 28 2007, 11:38 AM | |
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1
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The smartphone is a genius idea - it would make an excellent secondary system that's virtually stand alone. GPRS'ing lat/long - ESPECIALLY once it's landed again would be GENIUS because a VHF transmitter from ground level is unlikely to get very far. We can call it the Independant Backup System. IBS  Just because I like getting my hands dirty - I'm going to look at foam insulation at lunch time and make a gondola. Not to fly - just to make something cool. Doug |
| Forum: Private Missions · Post Preview: #100902 · Replies: 225 · Views: 228687 |
| Posted on: Sep 28 2007, 09:04 AM | |
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1
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And was later calculated to most likely be a meteor. Doug |
| Forum: Chit Chat · Post Preview: #100895 · Replies: 130 · Views: 87198 |
| Posted on: Sep 28 2007, 07:40 AM | |
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1
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I saw 'kit' and thought 'great- I've done loads of soldering..' but if it's $10 to get it built and tested...screw it Doug |
| Forum: Private Missions · Post Preview: #100891 · Replies: 225 · Views: 228687 |
| Posted on: Sep 28 2007, 07:32 AM | |
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1
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Two posts about politics removed. |
| Forum: Cometary and Asteroid Missions · Post Preview: #100888 · Replies: 49 · Views: 24355 |
| Posted on: Sep 27 2007, 11:06 PM | |
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1
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We don't know too much about LEO decay either - it's just that we have radar to track the stuff on Earth...and we don't have that facility from Mars ( although that does get me thinking w.r.t. SHARAD / MARSIS etc ) Doug |
| Forum: Chit Chat · Post Preview: #100858 · Replies: 130 · Views: 87198 |
| Posted on: Sep 27 2007, 10:04 PM | |
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1
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They've done 60 seconds with Pancam and Navcam - back in the sunny summer summit days of Meteor hunting. Doug |
| Forum: Chit Chat · Post Preview: #100855 · Replies: 130 · Views: 87198 |
| Posted on: Sep 27 2007, 05:23 PM | |
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1
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CODE Beginning image update Thu Sep 27 18:17:24 BST 2007 Updating Opportunity raw images from Exploratorium Reading http://nasa.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportunity/forward_hazcam/... scanning... Reading http://nasa.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportunity/forward_hazcam/2007-09-26/... scanning... 1/f/1298/1F243416597EFF86K5P1291L0M1.JPG ERROR Invalid Download: Content length not available (0) 1/f/1298/1F243416597EFF86K5P1291R0M1.JPG ERROR Invalid Download: Content length not available (0) Reading http://nasa.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportunity/rear_hazcam/... scanning... Reading http://nasa.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportunity/navcam/... scanning... Reading http://nasa.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportunity/navcam/2007-09-26/... scanning... 1/n/1294/1N243058618EDN86JZP1550L0M1.JPG ERROR Invalid Download: Content length not available (0) 1/n/1294/1N243066076EDN86JZP1550L0M1.JPG ERROR Invalid Download: Content length not available (0) 1/n/1297/1N243324933EDN86JZP1550L0M1.JPG ERROR Invalid Download: Content length not available (0) 1/n/1297/1N243329334EDN86JZP1550L0M1.JPG ERROR Invalid Download: Content length not available (0) 1/n/1298/1N243412730EDN86JZP1550L0M1.JPG ERROR Invalid Download: Content length not available (0) 1/n/1299/1N243500338EDN86L0P1550L0M1.JPG ERROR Invalid Download: Content length not available (0) 1/n/1300/1N243586960EDN86L0P1550L0M1.JPG ERROR Invalid Download: Content length not available (0) 1/n/1300/1N243590892EDN86L0P1550L0M1.JPG ERROR Invalid Download: Content length not available (0) 1/n/1301/1N243680271EDN86L0P1550L0M1.JPG ERROR Invalid Download: Content length not available (0) 1/n/1303/1N243857584EDN86LKP1550L0M1.JPG ERROR Invalid Download: Content length not available (0) 1/n/1306/1N244123889EDN8700P1550L0M1.JPG ERROR Invalid Download: Content length not available (0) Reading http://nasa.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportunity/pancam/... scanning... Reading http://nasa.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportunity/pancam/2007-09-26/... scanning... 1/p/1287/1P242433794ESF86FIP2600R8M1.JPG ERROR Invalid Download: Content length not available (0) 1/p/1293/1P242967674ESF86ISP2600L8M1.JPG ERROR Invalid Download: Content length not available (0) 1/p/1293/1P242967674ESF86ISP2600R8M1.JPG ERROR Invalid Download: Content length not available (0) 1/p/1293/1P242974035EFF86JZP2362L7M1.JPG ERROR Invalid Download: Content length not available (0) 1/p/1293/1P242974035EFF86JZP2362R1M1.JPG ERROR Invalid Download: Content length not available (0) 1/p/1293/1P242974097EFF86JZP2362L2M1.JPG ERROR Invalid Download: Content length not available (0) 1/p/1293/1P242974130EFF86JZP2362L5M1.JPG ERROR Invalid Download: Content length not available (0) 1/p/1293/1P242974259EFF86JZP2362L7M1.JPG ERROR Invalid Download: Content length not available (0) 1/p/1293/1P242975902EFF86JZP2363L5M1.JPG skipped; same last modified time. Reading http://nasa.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportunity/micro_imager/... scanning... Generating Opportunity images Done. Update complete Thu Sep 27 18:17:47 BST 2007 0 images downloaded 21 errors . Something bad ( probably to do with their server ) Attached - something good |
| Forum: Tech, General and Imagery · Post Preview: #100837 · Replies: 945 · Views: 730155 |
| Posted on: Sep 27 2007, 05:21 PM | |
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1
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http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?showtopic=4626 is a discussion on that issue |
| Forum: Exploration Strategy · Post Preview: #100836 · Replies: 70 · Views: 76254 |
| Posted on: Sep 27 2007, 02:15 PM | |
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1
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A starter for 10: Powershot A570IS (IS would be a good thing on a rough ride to near-space) 89.5 x 64.3 x 42.8mm - 175g's. It takes two AA's. NiMH's are typically 230g's a pair - and produce a total of 1.2v x 2500mAh - 3 whrs. - the same as the optional NB-3AH cells. In terms of Whrs/kg - LiPoly gives double the performance of a good pair of NiMH's - perhaps enough to accomodate TWO similar cameras. I would like to see something near 4 hours at 4 shots per minute - 1000 photographs. That would require somewhere around 9 whrs of power. Doug |
| Forum: Private Missions · Post Preview: #100815 · Replies: 225 · Views: 228687 |
| Posted on: Sep 27 2007, 11:30 AM | |
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1
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And we're counting again |
| Forum: Cometary and Asteroid Missions · Post Preview: #100794 · Replies: 49 · Views: 24355 |
| Posted on: Sep 27 2007, 10:06 AM | |
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1
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That's what WAM means - Wide Angle Mirror - you can see it above one of the two cameras here - http://www.beagle2.com/download/number9-mid.jpg and folded to one side here http://www.beagle2.com/download/number7-mid.jpg Doug |
| Forum: Private Missions · Post Preview: #100774 · Replies: 225 · Views: 228687 |
| Posted on: Sep 26 2007, 11:16 PM | |
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1
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http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.p...20&start=20 We began talkin about a UMSF balloon - and who know what might happen if enough people think about something hard enough, thoroughly enough and long enough. How's about this as a starting point. http://vpizza.org/~jmeehan/balloon/ with http://www.chem.hawaii.edu/uham/part101.html as an important regulatory start point (I'm going to look up the UK regs for this as well) http://www.srcf.ucam.org/~cuspaceflight/nova1launch.html is also very impressive - all done in the UK This http://www.makezine.com/blog/archive/2007/...video_podc.html is particularly impressive - I like the multiple-cameras slant. Anyway - thought I'd get a thread going - this is an idea I like too much to let it gather dust in a corner - the one thing that I think would be nice to achieve is self-portraiture of some sort - think Beagle 2's WAM etc....perhaps in a corner of the FOV of one of/the imaging system. What sort of limit's should we set ourselves? 1kg 10x10x20cm? (sort of 2U Cubesat-on-a-diet budget) Doug |
| Forum: Private Missions · Post Preview: #100745 · Replies: 225 · Views: 228687 |
| Posted on: Sep 26 2007, 08:33 PM | |
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1
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Whenever I'm not sure what to read - I reach for one of three books. Thrust by Richard Noble Beyond the Limit by Sir Ranulph Fiennes Roving Mars by Steve Squyres All are an inspiration and an example to us all. They say 'never meet your heroes'. I've met two of the three, and neither were a disapointment. Doug |
| Forum: Conferences and Broadcasts · Post Preview: #100734 · Replies: 10 · Views: 8738 |
| Posted on: Sep 26 2007, 02:08 PM | |
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1
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For those wondering - it's here : http://mepag.jpl.nasa.gov/msl.html What I don't understand is this.. MC : " I think as part of all three instruments being selected, the total cost was significantly lower." and MEPAG : "after a combined 60% cost growth" Now cost 'growth' seems a careful selection of words. Where was the genesis for this growth. Was it from the top asking for changes, or at the instrument level just getting the budget estimation wrong from the start? Something doesn't scan here. Doug |
| Forum: MSL · Post Preview: #100704 · Replies: 62 · Views: 69575 |
| Posted on: Sep 25 2007, 09:27 PM | |
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1
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Nice driving |
| Forum: New Horizons · Post Preview: #100675 · Replies: 1628 · Views: 1114232 |
| Posted on: Sep 25 2007, 09:05 PM | |
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1
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Trying to find some meat for this whole issue is like finding meat in a vegitarians fridge... From http://spacespin.org/article.php/msss_msl "The MastCam instrument will be developed and operated by Malin Space Science Systems, Inc., of San Diego, CA, under a $17.0 million (current year) contract, with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA. The MAHLI instrument will be developed and operated by MSSS under a similar $12.9 million contract. MARDI will cost $7.9 million and will also be developed by MSSS under JPL contract." That's an early story from the first selection. Not sure how much the budgets will have changed since then - but it's a starting point. Doug |
| Forum: MSL · Post Preview: #100670 · Replies: 62 · Views: 69575 |
| Posted on: Sep 25 2007, 07:40 PM | |
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1
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NICE stitch. I did a polar-and-pinch with it. |
| Forum: Spirit · Post Preview: #100663 · Replies: 222 · Views: 182358 |
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