RUNNING HEAD: PROJECT ZEPHYR PROGRESS REPORT 12 1

Project Zephyr

Progress Report 12

Kelly Crocker

Noah Wong

Vallabi Vallaban

April 27, 2017

Objective:

During this time, the blimp framework was completed and significant progress was made on the

electrical components of the project.

Previous Objective:

This focus of this time included the construction of the blimp frame, the finalization of

components that need to be 3D printed, and the continuation of work done on both the data input

and blimp navigation aspects of the electronics.

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Materials and Methods

The blimp frame has been completed. The step of using epoxy to attach the struts to the

central beam was completed in this time. Each strut was also connected to the struts adjacent to it

with pieces of foam and epoxy to give more structure to the outer pieces. The frame is in the

shape of a 1.6 m by 1.6 m sphere. Figure 1 shows the completed blimp frame. All that remains is

to attach the payload container and rudder. Some additional support may need to be added

around these points. The frame will then need to be covered in Mylar.

Figure 1: The struts were each attached individually to the central beam with epoxy. The cord

shown connected to the upright strut was used to prevent the strut from settling at any angle

other than ninety degrees.

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The 9V rechargeable batteries needed to be connected in parallel before they could be

connected to the solar charge controller. The 9V to lead converters were the parts modified to

make this happen. The wires of the leads were stripped so that approximately 1 cm of wire was

exposed. Then the three negative leads were twisted together and inserted into the negative

terminal for battery connection on the charge controller. The same was repeated with the positive

leads and the positive terminal.

Figure 2: The 9V to lead converters were connected in parallel and then connected to the charge

controller. The Raspberry Pi and solar panels will also be connected to the charge controller.

A similar process will need to be completed with the solar panels. Through testing, the

team came to the conclusion that connecting the panels in series would not provide the desired

output; therefore, the team will need to connect them in parallel. This process, however, will

need to wait until the team is sure of how the panels will be laid out on top of the blimp. This

will determine how the connections will work exactly.

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A large portion of the time was spent determining the retailer the team would purchase

helium from. After brainstorming with Dr. Psaker and Mrs. Thorpe, the team put in a request to

order a helium tank that will fill 450 balloons from PartyCo. The exact volume of helium gas

contained within the tank is uncertain as the company was not able to offer specifics when the

team called. This uncertainty prompted the team to rent the largest canister possible to ensure

that there is enough helium to fill the blimp for the first test and replace any that may escape

before the second test.

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Data and Results

The input logic was modified to work with the output of the carbon monoxide sensor.

This adjustment has made the output of the sensor more precise when the sensor is tested near

the exhaust of a car. The sensor had prongs that needed to be in contact with certain parts of the

circuit board for a reading to be outputted. However, the prongs were interfering with alligator

clips that also needed to be attached in that area, so the team soldered the prongs down. The

result was that the alligator clips could attach more securely to the sensor.

The team has been unable to retrieve any data from the hydrogen sulfide detector.

Coupling this difficulty with the lack of a source of a source of hydrogen sulfide to test the

sensor on, the team has come to the conclusion that the sensor will not be operable before the

testing date. Therefore, the sensor will not be included on the payload container. It is possible

that the sensor was damaged during shipment or that it was not working when it was shipped.

Because the sensor was purchased from Ebay, either scenario is possible.

Ideally, the team will test at Great Meadow in the Plains, Virginia as well as at James S.

Long Regional Park in Haymarket, Virginia. The test site of Great Meadows will provide data

about air composition from a rural, remote area. The test site in Haymarket will provide data

about air composition from suburban areas. The initial idea to test air composition in urban areas

was complicated by restrictions from flying within 5 miles of airports and within a significant

distance from Washington, D.C.

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Resources

The Great Meadow Foundation. (n.d.). Retrieved April 26, 2017, from

http://www.greatmeadow.org/.

Party Supplies - Manassas, VA. (n.d.). Retrieved April 26, 2017, from

http://www.manassaspartysupplies.com/.