1. SPARTAN-V
Selective Pointing Apparatus for Research of Turbulence and Atmospheric Noise Variation
Brian Ibeling and Christopher Nie

2. Mission Premise
NASA’s Kepler Mission uses the photometric output of stars to determine if there is a planet transiting a star
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3. Mission Premise
The cost of Kepler is estimated to be $600 million for 3.5 years of funding.
For a fraction of the cost, is it possible to detect exoplanets transiting stars from a balloon based observatory?
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4. HASP Background High Altitude Student Platform 2010
SPARTAN-V Team won a large payload spot January 2010
Launch August 28, 2011 out of Ft. Sumner, New Mexico
Platform ascends on a zero pressure NASA balloon to 36 km and floats for up to 36 hours experiencing both day and night conditions
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5. Mission Background The Main Question
High Altitude Balloon Observatories reach an altitude of 36 km (120,000 feet), over 99.5% of Earth’s atmosphere.
The Main Question
Are the scattering effects of the remaining 0.5% atmosphere minimal enough to be able to detect an exoplanet transit at 120,000 feet?
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6. SPARTAN-V Mission Mission Statement Mission Objectives
The SPARTAN-V mission seeks to determine the feasibility of detecting transiting exoplanets upon a Balloon-Based Observatory at an altitude of 120,000 feet. This mission will also characterize the stability of the HASP platform for future missions.
Mission Objectives
Objective 1: Observe photometric stability of zeroth to fourth magnitude star from the Stratosphere.
Objective 2: Observe and maintain star within our field of view.
Objective 3: Measure amplitude and frequency of pointing errors typical to balloon environment.
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7. Scientific Mission Primary scientific goals:
Attain and characterize scintillation and extinction values.
Demonstrate that this can be done for multiple groups of stars.
In order to accomplish this goal we will be building a custom folded refractor telescope with a QSI 504ME CCD.
The primary scientific goal is to attain and characterize scintillation and extinction values and demonstrate that this can be done for multiple groups of stars.
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8. Telescope Design
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9. Telescope Design
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10. Telescope Design
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11. Telescope Design
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12. Telescope Design
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13. SPARTAN-V Design
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14. Pointing Precision: Yaw
Bearing Design
Ultra-slim Kadon Bearing KA030XPO
Sustains radial, thrust, and moment loads
643 lbs dynamic radial
1010 lbs dynamic thrust
785 inch-pound dynamic moment
Rotary table
Bearing
Freefall Collar
Top Plate
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15. Pointing Precision: Yaw
Motor Preloading
Linear Preloading to maintain normal force (and therefore frictional force) between Motor Coupling and Rotary table
Motor Coupling
Third Point Support
Front Plate
Top Plate
Slider Shafts
Spring
Flange Mounts
Rotary Table
Stepper Motor
Talk about friction probs
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16. Sensors for Control Gyros On-board image analyzation
Will measure platform rotation rate.
This rate can be integrated over time to give change in angular position.
Motors in yaw and pitch axes will be commanded to counteract this motion.
On-board image analyzation
If find adjustments are needed.
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17. Post Flight Analysis
The science data will consist of approximately 2,000 images.
Since star locations within our images will vary, the stars will be stacked using IDL.
Through this analysis, we will identify the noise variance on the photometry of multiple star fields.
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18. Questions?
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