Week 13: O3 Sensor Parts, Symposium Complete

The parts for most of the O3 sensor package are in. I have been able to select a UV-C LED that emits within the ± 275nm wavelength range, keeping most of the emissions below 280nm. This is far enough into the UV-C band that any fluctuations should correspond to a voltage change from the UV-C sensor. I am still researching materials that I can use for the air tube. Quartz seems to be a good fit, but it is quite expensive. UV-C also can degrade certain materials so I need to find something suitable for shielding 

The symposium presentation went well. We had a few rehearsals and were able to share our findings, while hearing from the other participating colleges. Holding the symposium online turned out better than I could have expected. Research was presented from all aspects of space, and I was able to learn a lot. The main keynote speaker was Moriba Jah, who specializes in management of space debris. He presented a mapping project which is meant to track man-made objects orbiting Earth, while making it publicly available to hold nations accountable for what they place into space. This is extremely important to have, especially now that private space services are becoming realized and with nations likely moving to satellite based warfare. What makes it even more important is that there are few regulations regarding space object management. Many of these presentations should have been recorded and I will post links once they are available.

I am very proud to have taken part with the Fall '19 and Spring '20 teams, and they are all destined to move onto big things. I really have a soft spot for the program, and I have volunteered to work on special projects for Mr. V for the next semester. This will include assisting with transitioning to a new team, building the O3 sensor, and creating a battery monitoring system for the next launch.