Team Thermasense

1
Team Thermasense

• Thermal Wireless Sensor

2
Where Does Thermasense Fit In?

• Re-Entry problems
• Space vehicles are heavily instrumented.
• Wires can introduce extra problems into the
  system.
• High electromagnetic interference environment.
• Pressurized hull in many instances.
• Our solution is the wireless transmission of data.

3
Where can it go?

• Next lunar space vehicle (Orion)
• Re-entry probes
• Test equipment

4
Project Goal

• Design and build a wireless sensor system.
• Test the system in a plasma environment.
• Measure the internal temperature of the TPS
  (Thermal Protection System).

5
Typical Thermal Protection System (TPS)
6
Scope

• Primary Focus
• Wireless transmission of multiple temperature
  signals.
• Secondary Considerations
• Thermocouple calibration and amplification
  circuit
• Data acquisition and storage
• Power
• Transmission through pressurized hull.

7
How do we transmit the data?

• - Infrared (IR)
• No line of sight
• - Near Field Magnetics
• No off the shelf components available
• - Radio waves (RF)
• Best choice for our problem

8
Obstacles for data transmission

• Interference from the plasma environment.
• Can not communicate through the hull.

9
Overcoming Interference

• Noise filtering
• Use digital signals
• Board layout
• Twisted pair thermocouple wires
• Small gage thermocouple wire

10
Transmission through the craft

• Near field magnetics
• RF through the thin part of the hull. (Not
  likely)

11
Testing

• Measure performance reliability
• Accuracy of data
• Response time

12
Testing Issues

• How do we test at 1700 Degrees Celsius?
• Will our components melt?
• How do you mount TPS Materials

13
X Jet Testing

• Interference
• Signal strength
• Battery life
• Power consumption

14
Future Work

• Data Storage
• Integration of other sensor types
• How do we power the modules for long term
  missions?

15
Project Risks and Challenges

• Transmission through the Craft
• Transmission through a high interference
  environment
• Protection of wires and circuits at high
  temperatures
• Meeting required size specifications

16
Questions?