---
# System prepended metadata

title: BALLOON LAUNCH PROTOCOL MAY 22

---

# BALLOON LAUNCH PROTOCOL MAY 22 

## General Information
 
Date: 29.05.2022 <br>
Status: Flight Failure + Succesfull recovery by farmer  <br>
Protocollant: Leonhard Kessler <br>

### Description
Experimental plattforms of the MOVE-III plattform designs are developed and launched on a stratospheric balloon mission for a cheap verification and testing of the technologies. 

Sending the current design on a stratospheric balloon mission exposes the system to conditions similar to the conditions found in low earth orbit and imposes extreme requirements on all components.


### Expectations


#### Subsystem Expetations
- ADCS
    - The BNO 9-axis sensor shall be able to read out data to provide precise attitude for future development of the control system. 
    - The nanoISS sun sensors shall be able to provide precise sun position and determine the position of the sun for future development of the control system.
- CDH
    - All data from all subsystems shall be recoded and parsed by OPS, displayed in graphs that allow analyzing the performance of the subsystems.
- COM
- EPS
    - The batteries should be able to supply the gondola with power during the entire flight (from take-off to landing). Due to better insulation, the cell temperature should also not get too low so they do not switch off. During the flight, currents and voltages should be measured continuously, which can be evaluated at the end.
- STR
- Rocketry (VTX)
- PM
- PR

#### Objectives

- ADCS
    - BNO data shall be able to be read out. 
    - BNO calibration function shall be tested
    - NanoISS shall have the ability to to provide data to the control board.
    - The attitude of the balloon system shall be able to be determined with the combination of nanoISS and BNO sensor. 
- CDH
    - The realtime shall be recorded as telemetry
    - The telemetry from all subsystems recorded shall be recorded
    - The GPS Position, Velocity, Time, Altitude shall be recorded as telemetry
    - The beacons shall indicate if data is up to date
    - recorded telemetry shall be stored on a UART logger and an MRAM chip
    - A part of the telemetry shall be onthe CAN bus
    - OPS: Telemetry shall be decoded to a human readable form
- COM
    - System shall provide downlink connection between the balloon and the mission control during the flight
    - COM should be able to transmit a balloon tracking telemetry packet in every TBD second
    - COM should be able to transmit TBD housekeeping telemetry packet in every TBD second and balloon tracking telemetry packet in every TBD seconds
    - COM should transmit heartbeat packet in every 30 s
    - The COM shall have a bit error rate of less than 1e−5 bit/bit
    - COM should use the amateur radio frequency band at 434 MHz
    - The COM shall draw no more power than 5 W.
    - The COM shall dissipate less than 3.5 W as heat
    - GS should be able to receive TBD kB balloon telemetry in every TBD seconds
    - GS should use the amateur radio frequency band at 434 MHz
    - GS should be able to rotate its antenna in direction of the balloon
    - GS should be able to store incoming raw data
    - Build a backup smaller GS
- EPS
    - Temperature shall be read out continuously to an accuracy of [TBD] °C.
    - Power shall be read out continuously to an accuracy of +-1mA and +-1mV.
    - The UVP shall be able to switch off the system at a voltage below [TBD] V threshold.
    - The backplane shall switch off a slot exceeding 1.6A of threshold current.
    - The EPS shall provide uninterrupted power between -20°C - 60°C environmental temperature.
    - EPS shall provide an RBF (Remove Before Flight) switch that shall prevent any passive or active power draw above 3mW before removal and be removable in an integrated state.
    - The EPS shall provide a total energy in excess of 50 [TBC] Wh for the entire duration of the mission from integration to recovery.
- PL
    - measurements shall be taken every 40s
    - measurements shall have length of 650us
    - amplitude deviation shall be less than TBD%
    - rise time deviation shall be less than TBD%
- STR
- SE
    - The design budgets shall not deviate from the actual budget by more than 5%.
    - The testing campaingn shall prevent a total failure of the bus system.
    - Every test performed shall be documented with the testing template.
    - The data gathered  shall be used verify the requirements for MOVE-III
- Tracker
    - Balloon Tracking data should be sent in every 60s via APRS
    - APRS module should provide valid GPS position over 18 km altitude
    - APRS module should provide valid GPS position over 32 km altitude
    - Balloon tracking data should be available via SMS below 3000m altitude
- THM
    - System need to withstand temperatures of -10°C to 40°C without isolation (TVAC) for at least 15 minutes
    - System needs to withstand temperatures of -50°C with isolation
    - Batteries shall not heat up over x°C
- Rocketry
    - The objective of the Rocketry payload is to test the equippment required for a live video feed at high altitude before it is used in the Cryosphere and Nixus rockets. More specifically, the goals are as follows:
        - The system shall have a range of up to 10km with the allowed 25mW output power
        - The system shall survive temperatures of -50°C to 80°C
        - The system shall survive an impact velocity of up to 6m/s?
        - The ground station shall display and record the received image
- PM
    - There shall be a flight trajectory simulation which predicts the point of impact of the balloon to [1km, TBC]
    - There shall be an exhaustive procedure and protocol for the recovery of the gondola
    - There shall be an exhaustive procedure and protocol of the launch setup and execution (e.g. handover of the payload, media)
    - There shall be an exhaustive list and protocol for all equipment required for the balloon launch
    - There shall be a protocol of all insurance and clearance contacts as well as emergency personnel
- PR


### Test Personnel

|    Function       |     Name     |
| ------------ | --------------    |
| Flight Director | Leonhard Kessler|
| Launch Coordinator, Protocol | Felix Firmbach |

### Links
Balloon Path Miro Board https://miro.com/app/board/o9J_lOhDDYA=/ 
MOVE-ON Wiki https://wiki.tum.de/display/warr/MOVE-ON
PM Balloon Guide https://gitlab.lrz.de/move/architecture/-/blob/master/doc/PM/PM%20Balloon%20Guide%20V1.1.md
List of Launch Crew https://syncandshare.lrz.de/open/MlR0R1FNdXQ5V1NCOWRzbVNINGRE/Project_Management/Balloon_Launch/Balloon_Launch_Crew_May_2022.docx
List of Material https://syncandshare.lrz.de/open/MlR0R1FNdXQ5V1NCOWRzbVNINGRE/Project_Management/Balloon_Launch/Balloon_Launch_Materials_List.xlsx 



## Test Setup
### List of Components
- Balloon Payload Train
    - Balloon
    - Parachute
    - Satellite Balloon Model
        - Backplane V3
        - ADCS SB - IMU, 2 NanoIss 
        - CDH SB - GPS, UART Logger, RTC, SD Card
        - COM SB - 3rd party module (murgas), Interface Card
        - Battery Board 1
            - Battery 12 &rarr; slot 1
            - Battery 2 &rarr; slot 2
            - Battery 3 &rarr; slot 3
            - Battery 4 &rarr; slot 4
        - Antenna
        - Frame
        - Insulation  
    - Tracker Gondola 
        - APRS Tracker
            - Battery
        - GSM-GPS Tracker
            - Sim Card
    - Rocketry Live Camera
    
- Groundstation
    - Antenna
    - Laptop with GNU radio
- Launch Site
    - Blue blanket
    - Cordon bars + cordon tape
    - Tables and benches (min. 2 Tables)
    - Helium
    - Ballon Equipment Box
    - Train Integration Box
    - Broom
    - Recovery equipment + recovery equipment box
    - if needed: Generator 
- Documents
    - BAF Clearance
    - Luftamt Clearance
    - Insurance
    - List of phone numbers (1 chair; 1 launch site, 1 recovery team)

- Catering
    - Coffee
    - Breakfast
    - Grill

### Setup of Components
Arrangement of test components, picture / drawing if needed


### Environment / Location
Important measures like temperature etc, if relevant for test. Test location / facility.

- TUM Chair of Astronautics, first floor
    - Temperature: 22°C <br>
    - 
- Football field behind the MW building - 48.26395°N, 11.66509°E Boltzmannstr. 15, 85748 Garching
    - Temperature: 12 °C <br>
    

## Procedure
### Satellite Integration Success Scenario
| Nr. | Action (Decription)                      | ✓/✗ | Notes                                       |
| --- | ---------------------------------------- | --- | ---------------------------------------------- |
| 1.  | Insert SD card                           | ✓    |             |
| 2.  | Remove RBF covers                               | ✓    |            | 
| 3.  | Connect to OPS (using debug UART) to verify data | ✓ | |
| 4.1 | Open Battery Board Cover                 | ✓    |                |
| 4.2 | Measure Battery Voltage                  | ✓    | Battery No. 12: 4.167V; Battery No. 2: 4.165V; Battery No. 3: 4.167V; Battery No. 4: 4.162V | 
| 4.3 | Place Batteries into Battery Board       | ✓    |(Battery&rarr;Slot; No. 12&rarr;1 ; No. 2&rarr;2 ; No. 3&rarr;3 ; No.4&rarr;4) |
| 4.4 | Close Battery Board Cover                | ✓    ||
| 4.5 | Place Battery Board into Backplane         | ✓    ||
| 4.6 | Mount PCB Guide Bracket (black)        | ✓    ||
| 5.  | Remove Battery Board RBF           | ✓    | TIME 07:04 |
| 6. | Reinsert Battery Board RBF | ✓ | |
| 6.1 | remove SD card and check for presence and format of data | ✓ | |
| 6.2 | re-insert SD card | ✓ | |
| 6.3 | Remove Battery Board RBF | ✓ | TIME 07:08 |
| 6.4 | Verify COM sending data | ✓ | |
| 7.1  | BNO calibration: Let system rest for 30 seconds            | ✓ | (gyroscope calibration) | 
| 7.2  | BNO calibration: Raise system and move in an 8-shape | ✓ | (magnetometer calibration) |
| 7.3  | BNO calibration: Raise system and turn in all six different orientations, letting rest for five seconds each | ✓ | (accelerometer calibration) |
| 8. | Test GPS for functionality (will also test cables) | ✓ | Test by moving to location with GPS signal |
| 9.1. |  Gondola Integration: Insert frame into gondola. Insert COM antenna first, then frame, and drag COM antenna through the bottom side. Keep GPS antenna outside of the top.               |  ✓  |     | 
| 9.2  | Fix sun sensors on gondola                 |  ✓  |     |
| 9.3  | Turn on GoPro | ✓ |At the launch site |
| 9.4  | Close bottom lid with GoPro and Powerbank | ✓ | |
| 9.5  | Close top lid and tape GPS antenna to the lid | ✓ | |
| 9.6  | Loop around gondola with tape to secure it | ✓ | |

### Tracker Gondola Integration
| Nr. | Action (Decription)                      | ✓/✗   | Notes                                          |
| --- | ---------------------------------------- | --- | ---------------------------------------------- |
| 1.  | Fix PicoAPRS to internal frame with zip-tie | ✓ | |
| 2.  | Connect VHF antenna to PicoAPRS | ✓ | |
| 3.  | Fix Powerbank (green) to the internal frame with zip-tie | ✓ | |
| 4.  | Plug USB charging cable to the Powerbank output | ✓ | USB-A - Micro USB-B |
| 5.  | Fix StratoTRACK GSM-GPS tracker to internal frame with zip-tie | ✓ | use reusable zip-tie |
| 6.  | Half-Slide SIM card into StratoTRACK | ✓ | do not slide fully, not to start the module |
| 7.  | Charge all batteries | ✓ | |
| 8.  | Apply temporary sealing for payload train integration | ✓ | |


### WARR rocketry live camera integration
| Nr. | Action (Decription)                      | ✓/✗   | Notes                                          |
| --- | ---------------------------------------- | --- | ---------------------------------------------- |
| 1.  | Connect XT60 plug and tape closed | ✓ | |
| 2.  | Close styrofoam ball and tape closed | ✓ | |
| 3.  | Connect to train | ✓ | |



### Launch Site Setup
| Nr. | Action (Decription)                      | ✓/✗ | Notes                                       |
| --- | ---------------------------------------- | --- | ---------------------------------------------- |
|1.| Carry recovery equipment box + branch cutter + blue sheet + ballon to launch site| ✓ | |
|2.| Carry ballon equipment box + train integration box + one crate softdrinks to launch site | ✓ | | 
|3.| Carry lrt tables (2) / benches (3) to launch site | ✓ | |
|4. | Fetching the helium from WARR gas storage to launch site (availability: min. 3 people at the gas storage + 3 people at the launch site) | ✓ |Fetching the helium with gas hand truck worked very well |
|5.|Built up ballon assembling area (blue sheet, 2 Tabels directly at the blue sheet) | ✓ | |
|6.| Cordon launch site (cordon tape + hammer + corbon bars in Leonhards car) | ✓ | |
|7.| Carry chemistry tables / benches to launch site | ✓ |3-4 benches at launch site is sufficient |
|8.| Carry crates to launch site | ✓ | |
|9.| after launch: barbecue to launch site | ✓ | |
|10.| If needed carry generator to launch site | n.n. | |
|11.| Tidy up: | ✓ | |
|11.1| Helium back to WARR gas storage| ✓ |Fetching the helium with gas hand truck worked very well |
|11.2| Repack ballon / train integration boxes + back to the chair| ✓ | |
|11.2| Benches and tabels back to chemistry respectively lrt | ✓ | |
|11.3| Barbecue back| ✓ | |
|11.4| Crates back to MOVE office | ✓ | |
|11.5| Cordon bars + cordon tape + hammer back into Leonhards car | ✓ | |

### Launch Procedures
#### Preparations
| Nr. | Action (Decription)                      | ✓/✗   | Notes                                          |
| --- | ---------------------------------------- | --- | ---------------------------------------------- |
| 1 | Surround operation area  | ✓ | Use cordon tape |
| 2 | Cover inflation area with tarpaulins | ✓ |  |
| 3 | Secure Tarpaulins | ✓ |  |
| 4 | Secure Helium Tank at inflation area | ✓ |  |
| 5 | Status check from GND | ✓ |  |
| 6 | Check reducer gasket | ✓ |  |
| 7 | Connect gas reducer to tank | ✓ |  |
| 8 | Pressure chek | ✓ |  |
| 9 | Connect inflator hose to reducer | ✓ |  |
| 10 | Anchor inflator  | ✓ |  |

Launch site ready: 08:19 (CEST)
Inflator adapter: 280g
Target lift: 5000g
Target lift with inflator: 4720g

#### Balloon Inflation
| Nr. | Action (Decription)                      | ✓/✗ | Notes                                       |
| --- | ---------------------------------------- | --- | ---------------------------------------------- |
| 1 | Inflation personnel wear gloves | ✓ |  |
| 2 | Inflation area clean | ✓ | use broom |
| 3 | Unwrap weather balloon | ✓ | point of no return |
| 4 | Chek balloon | ✓ |  |
| 5 | Connect inflator to balloon | ✓ |  |
| 6 | Secure inflator with zip ties | ✓ | use at least two releasable zip ties |
| 7 | Secure inflator with duct tape | ✓ |  |
| 8 | Open gas valve on low flow | ✓ |  |
| 9 | Chek balloon | ✓ |  |
| 10 | Increase gas flow accordingly | ✓ |  |
| 11 | Measure neck lift during inflation | ✓ |  |
| 12 | Balloon lifts counterweight | ✗ | no need anymore |
| 13 | Close gas valve | ✓ |  |
| 14 | Tie off balloon neck | ✓ | leave anchor loop |
| 15 | Anchor balloon | ✓ |  |
| 16 | Measure neck lift | ✓ |  |

| Necklift | Time |
| --- |  ---------------------------------------------- |
| 1500 | 08:32 |
| 3000 | 08:34 |
| 4000 | 08:36 |
| cylinder change | 08:37 |
| 5000 | 08:39 |

Final necklift: 5400g


#### Payload Train Integration
| Nr. | Action (Decription)                      | ✓/✗ | Notes                                       |
| --- | ---------------------------------------- | --- | ---------------------------------------------- |
| 1 | Start up Balloon Tracker | ✓ | see Balloon Tracker Start up |
| 2 | Check tracker connection | ✓ |  |
| 3 | Connect payload train to balloon | ✓ |  |
| 4 | Secure payload train connection | ✓ |  |
| 5 | GO-NOGO Check | ✓ |  |
| 6 | Start up Rocetry Camera  | ✓ | see Rocketry Camera Start up |

##### Balloon Tracker Startup
| Nr. | Action (Decription)                      | ✓/✗ | Notes                                       |
| --- | ---------------------------------------- | --- | ---------------------------------------------- |
| 1 | Fully slide SIM card to StratoTRACK | ✓ | LED blink |
| 2 | Connect PowerBank to PicoAPRS | ✓ | LED blink |
| 3 | Seal gondola | ✓ |  |

##### Rocketry Camera Start up 		
| Nr. | Action (Decription)                      | ✓/✗ | Notes                                       |
| --- | ---------------------------------------- | --- | ---------------------------------------------- |
| 1 | Remove RBF Pin | ✓ | Do this as close as balloon launch as possible! |


#### GO-NOGO Check for Launch
| Nr. | Action (Decription)                      | ✓/✗ | Notes                                       |
| --- | ---------------------------------------- | --- | ---------------------------------------------- |
| 1 | Satellite | ✓ |  |
| 2 | Satellite COM signal | ✓ |  |
| 3 | Balloon Tracker APRS | ✓ |  |
| 4 | Balloon Tracker GSM | ✓ |  |
| 5 | Ground Station | ✓ |  |


### Recovery
| Nr. | Action (Decription)                      | ✓/✗ | Notes                                       |
| --- | ---------------------------------------- | --- | ---------------------------------------------- |
| 1. | Photograph scene in detail                 |  ✓   | State of the train?        |
| 3.1 | Rocketry Payload: Open styrofoam ball |✗ | not recovered |
| 3.2 | Photograph styrofoam halves |✗ | not recovered |
| 3.3 | Remove battery from camera (cut away security tape at yellow plug, unplug battery from system) |✗ | not recovered |

### Desintegration
| Nr. | Action (Decription)                      | ✓/✗ | Notes                                       |
| --- | ---------------------------------------- | --- | ---------------------------------------------- | 
| 1.  | cut open styrofoam box and remove     |     |     |
| 2.  | open structure                |     |   Globalstar still connected in slot, and still in globalstar by visual inspection  |
| 3.  | take battery board out                |     | |



### Success criteria
|Nr.  |            Success criteria        |  ✓/✗| Notes  |
| --- | ---------------------------- | --- | ------ |
| 1.  | Data can be logged           |    |        |
| 2.  | Batteries are discharged in balanced manner|  | |
| 3.  | GPS data is send over MURGAS COM         |  ✓   |        |
|4.   | Needed equipment is in time and  quanity at the right place |   ✓ |  add garbage bag to material list  |
|5.   | after launch: equipment is back at the right place |  ✓ |   |


    
### Changes to Plan

| Nr. | Action (Decription) | ✓ |    Notes    |
| --- | ------------------- | - | ----------- |
| Xb. | Text                |✓/✗| Text        |

## Evaluation
Short description of results. Were the expectations fulfilled?

- ADCS
    - unfortunately the payload is lost, even if we really recover the payload, the sun sensor shall be shattered. The group shall come up with new solution of sun sensor and/or star tracker.
    - The sun sensor data measured during the flight was only recorded to the SD-card and is therefore also lost. The beacons sent over COM didnt contain adcs data.
    - During Integration all ADCS systems functioned as expected.
- CDH
    - MRAM was not finished in time
    - Improvements in collected Data worked well, some further adjustments are necessary
    - OPS: live data and graphs worked very well
    - OPS allowed discovering problems during dry-run, TVAC
    - Beacons that where received from COM where successfully decoded and displayed
    - Data from payload could not be evaluated
    - GPS worked with high accuracy (<3m)
- COM
    - MURGAS
        * COM was operating as expected. 
        * During the flight the GS received and decoded beacon telemetry packets from the balloon which contained plausable data.
        * Connection lost at 35 km at the same time as the connection lost with the APRS
        * COM was not recovered
        * Possibility of receiving signals from the COM at the tracker's landing site
        * MURGAS module proved to be usable for furter development 
    * Balloon Tracker
        * Balloon tracker worked as expected until 35km altitude
        * Connection was lost with the APRS at 35km altitude
        * Connection was not regained
        * GSM-GPS tracker sent final landing coordinates as expected
        * APRS was damaged, USB connector and PCB was bent, USB power cable was not attached
        * Internal frame was damaged
        * No damage on the outside
        * Everything is still operational
- EPS
    - Just before bursting, COM received its last beacon from the balloon. This means that the entire EPS system was functional at least until bursting (35km altitude). Unfortunately, there was no EPS or temperature data in the beacons, so more evaluation is not possible.
- STR
- Rocketry (VTX)
- PL (didnt fly because during test could not read out sensible data from ADC and sample frequency was far too low)
 
    
    

## Additional Notes

Launch failed in flight after parashute opening, due to failure of the strings. Possible rubbing caused warming of string which ended in a decoupling of the main gondola and the rocketry cam gondola. 
Recovery Session escalated to a 40 man mission in puring rain. Did not find decoupled part. Addtional Recovery Mission with 2 cars searched in the area where gondola was found later, but area to big and gondola in the fields to small to see. Gondola was brought back by a farmer 6 weeks after the launch. it survived, but a lot of parts have been damaged. This event showed, why risk managements are important, balloon flights can cost you all your hardware and it is valid to ask the question "Why we do this like we do it" and if the answer is "we did it before and it worked" - rethink the solution! 