Design of the Embry-Riddle High Altitude Science and Engineering Rig

Embry-Riddle High Altitude Science and Engineering Rig (ERHASER) consisted of a modular test rig which was mounted in the payload bay of a NASA WB-57F ‘Long Wing’ aircraft and hosted two experiments, whose goals and expected outcomes are sequentially listed in this abstract. The purpose of the first experiment was to study the position of the aircraft using an Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast system (ADS-B) for subsonic or supersonic flights through triangulation from communication nodes. The goal of the second experiment was to test the effects of radiation using the Timepix on in-vitro T-Cells in a cytokine solution, as well as cells with medicinal plants and extracts. Both experiments yielded strong results which now are being used for research to enhance the knowledge of students in various disciplines. The ADS-B provided positive results during the ascent and descent phase of the flight although there was a cut-off in the transmission over 50,000 feet due to the instrument being a commercial product and locked above a certain altitude due to regulations. The data is expected to be integrated into the SSFS (Suborbital Space Flight Simulator) after the ADS-B returns are concurred with the data provided by the NASA’s Aircraft Operations Division group and the pilot\u27s Garmin. The flight path of the WB-57F was obtained from FlightAware to map the proposed ADS-B ground-based transceivers along the Gulf of Mexico where future spaceports will be operating. A high trend in atmospheric radiation was observed during flight. This trend perfectly matched our hypothesized trend following the data. A clear trend line in which the strength and frequency of particle strikes raises and lowers at a time coincided with the WB-57\u27s ascent and descent phases. Instances of a spike in the dosage were also registered during the flight with the maximum being 48 μGy/hr. The average dose rate per minute was calculated as 2.877 μGy. The T-cells and cytokines have an incubation period of 6 to 8 weeks during which the medium is tested for growth and activation of the immune cells. The cells require continuous observation over the incubation period and scheduled logs are made over the course of the mediums. It was noticed that 10 of the 32 cell mediums exhibited a change in color which can be attributed to extreme temperature shock. This exhibited the high survivability of T-cells in the Nanolab developed when subjected to extreme temperatures and atmospheric pressures