lyang@scherzo.UUCP (11/23/87)
STUDENT SATELLITE PROJECT SEEKS DONATIONS
OF TEST AND DESIGN EQUIPMENT!
Graduate and undergraduate students in Stanford University's Small
Satellite Program are currently designing and prototyping an experimental
scientific satellite called SURFER (Stanford University Radio Frequency
Emissions Receiver) to be deployed on the Space Shuttle in 1991 along with
the Tethered Satellite System (TSS-1) mission.
The project urgently needs development and test equipment of all kinds.
Firms, government agencies or individuals with surplus electronic equipment,
computers, spacecraft test equipment, relevant software, etc. are encouraged
to donate such equipment to the SURFER satellite team at Stanford. We expect
that such equipment donations would be eligible for tax benefits.
PUBLICITY AND A CHANCE FOR ACCESS
TO OUTSTANDING ENGINEERING STUDENTS.
Be part of the SURFER team! The satellite will likely fly during Stanford's
Centennial Celebration in 1991-92, with much attendant publicity. The students
on the SURFER team are Stanford's best engineers, and are pioneering innovative
engineering designs as well as gaining extensive teamwork experience.
Interested parties are invited to call us or visit our facilities.
EQUIPMENT/FACILITIES NEEDED BY THE SURFER SATELLITE PROJECT
-----------------------------------------------------------
1. ELECTRICAL TEST AND DEVELOPMENT EQUIPMENT
8086 Assembler/Development System
Audio Waveform Generator
Data Books (TI/Intel, etc.)
De-soldering equipment
Development system
IBM-compatible computer
Logic analyzer
Multimeters
Ohm-meter
Oscilloscope, analog & digital storage
Power Supplies (5V @5Amp, 6V, +/- 12 V @ 5 Amp)
PROM programmer
Software for digital design (MacIntosh/IBM)
VHF field strength meter
VHF signal generator
3. MECHANICAL TEST AND DEVELOPMENT EQUIPMENT
Shake table
Small Thermo-Vac Chamber
CAD/CAE equipment
Video Camera and ancillary equipment (slow-motion?)
Zero-G Simulator
4. SOFTWARE
Schematic Capture/Design/Simulation (MacIntosh,IBM,uVAX)
CAD, Dynamic & Thermal Analysis software
Test bench/experiment-control software
Simulation, graphics
Other software potentially useful on IBM, Mac, VAX, SUN
5. COMPUTER EQUIPMENT
IBM-compatible Microcomputers
IBM peripherals (hard-disks,experiment-control cards, etc.)
IBM software (analysis, lab controllers, simulators)
MacIntosh Microcomputers (Plus, 512K, SE, MacII)
MacIntosh peripherals (hard-disks, printers, etc.)
Any other donations will be gratefully accepted, as well as contributions
in the form of on-site access to your facilities/equipment. Please pass
this notice on to your colleagues, other departments, and anyone else
interested.
HOW TO CONTACT THE SURFER SATELLITE TEAM.
You may contact the SURFER student team at (415)-723-2945 (SURFER office),
or (415)-328-1771 (after hours). Our FAX number is (415)-723-0010 (please
be sure to include OUR name and phone number on the FAX cover sheet).
Our address is: SURFER Satellite Project
c/o STARLab, Durand 202
Stanford University
Stanford, CA 94305
EMAIL: LYANG@SUN.COM
Specialized inquiries may be directed to Burton Lee (Deputy Manager), David
Lauben (Electrical Team Leader), or Scott Williams (Mechanical Team Leader).
Thank you very much for your interest and help.
-----
Postscript: Project Description and work in progress:
SURFER and MISSION BACKGROUND.
The SURFER satellite project is faculty-advised and student-managed.
All research and design (both electrical and mechanical) is being done by
undergraduate and graduate students. Total cost of design and construction
is estimated at around $1 million. NASA has provided $50,000 support for
initial design activities, but to take it to functional prototype level
will require much more resources which must come from other organizations.
SURFER is a 120 lb., 15" high, 17" diameter passively stabilized satellite
designed to measure plasma characteristics and electromagnetic waves radiated
from the 20 km Tethered Satellite System (TSS-1). SURFER will be ejected from
a Get-Away-Special canister prior to tether deployment and drift from 1 to
100 km behind the Orbiter during the TSS-1 experiment. SURFER has a mission
lifetime of about 50 hours and will remain in orbit several months before it
enters the Earth's atmosphere and burns up.
ELECTRONICS & COMMUNICATIONS SUBSYSTEMS. Items of immediate concern include
the telemetry/command and data processing systems. These consist of a VHF
(137MHz) radio link and distributed-CPU data processing system on-board the
Orbiter. The radio link must support a 20 Hz - 20 kHz analog waveform and
16 kbit/sec digital stream. Once on-board the Orbiter, the data processing
system must convert the analog waveform to digital form, and combine it with
the 16 kbit/sec stream, MET time code, and free-flyer range data for transfer
to a high capacity data storage unit located in the Orbiter bay. A real time
two-way command link for Satellite re-configuration is also planned. We intend
to adapt terrestrial handheld technology for the short-term space mission, and
modify some high-capacity data storage unit to survive the launch loads and
mission environment.
Additional work is currently being done on the Spacecraft power system,
science instrument design, spin-ejector prototype, dynamical simulation,
thermal analysis, and mission planning.
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--Larry Yang [lyang@sun.com,{backbone}!sun!lyang]| A REAL _|> /\ | _ _ _
Sun Microsystems, Inc., Mountain View, CA | signature | | | / \ | \ / \
Hobbes: "Why do we play war and not peace?" | <|_/ \_| \_/\| |_\_|
Calvin: "Too few role models." | _/ _/