Designing and Prototyping of a Sounding Rocket Power Supply
What?
My team of four Olin College interns worked with astrophysicists at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center to design a low voltage power supply, which provides power to the controls and sensors on a sounding rocket and displays current, voltage, and temperature readings of critical components on a computer interface.
Why?
This sounding rocket is designed to be a platform for short scientific experiments in space, mostly involving X-ray imaging. Additional background information can be found on the NASA-Olin program website.
How?
We designed a circuit and corresponding PCB that used DC-DC converters to convert a main 24V source from a battery to the specific voltages needed for each component on the rocket, paying attention to vibration, temperature, and current ratings. Our design followed NASA's specifications, and included a user-friendly Python GUI and PIC code that connected the interface to the circuitry, as described in our final report.
My team of four Olin College interns worked with astrophysicists at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center to design a low voltage power supply, which provides power to the controls and sensors on a sounding rocket and displays current, voltage, and temperature readings of critical components on a computer interface.
Why?
This sounding rocket is designed to be a platform for short scientific experiments in space, mostly involving X-ray imaging. Additional background information can be found on the NASA-Olin program website.
How?
We designed a circuit and corresponding PCB that used DC-DC converters to convert a main 24V source from a battery to the specific voltages needed for each component on the rocket, paying attention to vibration, temperature, and current ratings. Our design followed NASA's specifications, and included a user-friendly Python GUI and PIC code that connected the interface to the circuitry, as described in our final report.
Designing and Prototyping a Control System for a Thermoelectric Cooler
What?
A thermoelectric cooler is a semiconductor device that reacts to an input voltage by heating one ceramic plate and cooling another. My team of four Olin College interns designed an analog control system in order to bring one side of the cooler to a setpoint temperature quickly and maintain the temperature within 0.1 degree Kelvin.
Why?
NASA Earth scientists are using a cube satellite to study cloud formations, and the infrared camera used to do so must be maintained at a constant temperature.
How?
We designed, built, and tested a control system in analog circuitry and documented our work.
A thermoelectric cooler is a semiconductor device that reacts to an input voltage by heating one ceramic plate and cooling another. My team of four Olin College interns designed an analog control system in order to bring one side of the cooler to a setpoint temperature quickly and maintain the temperature within 0.1 degree Kelvin.
Why?
NASA Earth scientists are using a cube satellite to study cloud formations, and the infrared camera used to do so must be maintained at a constant temperature.
How?
We designed, built, and tested a control system in analog circuitry and documented our work.
