High-altitude balloon payloads require enclosures that combine low weight, significant insulation performance, high levels of protection from landing impacts, and a rigging design that is inherently redundant and intrinsically safe. A method was developed to produce payload enclosures We have developed a box construction method with desirable performance characteristics, low cost, and ease of manufacture. These payloads were conducted as part of Payloads built with these new boxes were flown during the Nationwide Ballooning Eclipse Project (NEBP) in conjunction with the Undergraduate Student Instrumentation Project (USIP) at the University of Houston. Using simple operations in 3D CAD software and simple photographs of the payload electronics, a 3D model of each payload enclosure was modeled. A layered construction method using 2-inch (50mm) thick expanded polystyrene foam was used to ease assembly and manufacturability with a simple 3-axis CNC router. Carbon fiber tubes were embedded in the sides of the enclosures to act as both hanging points and guide sleeves for the suspension lines. This full-flight train flew during both the 2023 and 2024 eclipses as part of the NEBP, while one component made an additional flight that ended in a very rough landing. In all flights, the payload electronics suffered no damage. The construction methods allowed for rapidly producing replacement enclosure components when required. These methods are also easy to replicate and modify to suit various payloads.

The Undergraduate Student Instrument Program (USIP) at the University of Houston's Physics Department is a uniquely structured, two-year academic initiative aimed at propelling emerging STEM majors into the forefront of space science. This innovative program, while offering course credit, transcends traditional educational paradigms by immersing students in the practical aspects of atmospheric and space science. The cornerstone of USIP is its hands-on approach, where students are not mere passive learners but active contributors, conceptualizing and fabricating spacecraft and high-altitude instrumentation. These student-generated projects are then launched on weather balloon platforms by the students themselves. Such engagements are critical in cultivating the investigative spirit requisite for the leaders in space exploration and scientific inquiry. Central to USIP's philosophy is its student-driven framework. Participants are entrusted with the autonomy to form collaborative teams, appoint project leaders, and manage their initiatives, effectively simulating the dynamics of professional scientific and engineering environments. The program's pedagogical approach is modern and dynamic, integrating electronic methods for content delivery and rigorously adhering to industry standards in project planning and execution. As a result, USIP equips its students with a robust foundation, seamlessly bridging their undergraduate experiences with the demands and expectations of professional roles within the global scientific and engineering communities.

One of the first instruments used to monitor laboratory plasmas was the Langmuir probe (LP). This instrument is still one of the key sensors in laboratory plasma investigations. With the access to space, the first sounding rockets with Langmuir Probes were flown in 1946-1947; followed with Langmuir probes on satellites from the early 1960s and on Pioneer Venus Orbiter and subsequent interplanetary probes starting in the 1970s. This paper summarizes some of the experiences of using Langmuir probes over the last 75-years in space, what issues have been encountered, and how to overcome different known effects unique to space flight measurements. This work was done through a number of workshops attended by a number of instrument team members and supported by the ISSI organisation.

The aurora borealis’ vibrant colors and light correspond to Earth’s distinct atmospheric molecules. The goal of this experiment is to identify discrete spectral lines, especially that of the auroral green line at 557 nm, using emission spectroscopes. The instruments are designed, fabricated, and tested by students, as part of the Undergraduate Student Instrumentation Project (USIP) at the University of Houston, and will take images of the aurora in the ultraviolet-visible (350-700 nm) and infrared (500- 1100 nm) ranges. The images captured of auroral sessions will be analyzed to obtain wavelength and intensity data, which inform us of the energies of the observed molecules.

The warming of Alaska's permafrost has been leading to thawing within its discontinuous permafrost. This can cause ice wedges to melt, resulting in thermokarst formations such as sinkholes and landslides, which are causing damage to Alaskan infrastructure. To avoid developing further infrastructure in areas containing ice wedges, it is necessary to improve methods of detecting subsurface ground ice. Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) is a nonintrusive remote sensing method of locating and characterizing permafrost and other subsurface features that are not evident on a cut face or surface. When applied to the detection of ice wedges at the Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory permafrost tunnel in Fox, Alaska, a few identifying features have been observed which corresponded with prior research. We first use GPR reflections of areas along the tunnel walls holding known ice wedges to verify the identifying features of an ice wedge within GPR data. We use these reflections as test data to identify possible ice wedges in locations where they were not observed on the tunnel walls.

In this experiment, we are utilizing the Swarm Satellite system to transmit high frequency (HF) and very high frequency (VHF) radio waves into the F-region of the ionosphere. We then observe the illumination of a swarm satellite using ground and balloon-based software-defined radio (SDR) platforms placed in various locations. By analyzing the data obtained, we aim to calculate radio distortions caused by scattering, refraction, reflection, and absorption.

The Undergraduate Student Instrumentation Project (USIP) was a NASA program created to engage undergraduates in rigorous scientific research for the purpose of developing the next generation of professionals in space research. It is now run by the University of Houston using local resources. The development of next generation space professionals is addressed by using inquiry- based learning. Students are guided through the process of selecting a question of interest to them from disciplines such as heliophysics; atmospheric physics, chemistry, and biology; and geoscience. The students are then guided through the process of developing an experimental investigation to address their question. This student-led project is executed by the students from initial ideation of research objectives to the design, testing, and deployment of scientific payloads. The 5E Instructional model places the student at the center of knowledge building, while instructors facilitate interaction with content and guide the inquiry process. The project is designed to integrate engineering, technology, physics, material science, and earth and atmospheric sciences as an important opportunity for the students to gain access to cross-disciplinary experiential research. In addition to classroom engagement, the students build their own payloads and ground instruments. This project increases students’ command of essential skills such as teamwork, problem solving, communication, innovation, and leadership. For the students, this formative experience continues to encourage the development of a broader range of technical skills than is typically offered within an undergraduate degree. These skills include project management, systems engineering, balloon payload design, and balloon flight operations. More specifically, we teach sensor and instrument design, avionics, circuit, and power systems design, payload mechanical and thermal design, and telemetry and navigation. The students are also taught to prepare and present standard NASA project review materials, such as Preliminary Design Review, Critical Design Review and Mission Readiness Review presentations. Furthermore, the time and energy that students commit to this project promotes professional responsibility and emphasizes the necessity of coherent teamwork. Not only do students make connections with each other during this process, but also to the broader space science community. They often work with professionals from outside of the USIP structure, and regularly attend and present at conferences and student competitions throughout the project. Student projects included subjects ranging from atmospheric trace gas chemistry, ground penetrating radar and thermal infrared imaging coupled with multiwavelength LiDAR study of surface topography and chemistry, auroral electron precipitation, quantitative multi-wave- length airglow studies, search for stratospheric microplastics, monitoring auroral radio emissions, and stratospheric conductivity. This program is a for-credit course of two to three years duration.

GPR and UAS surveys were conducted at the Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) as part of the University of Houston's (UH) Undergraduate Student Instrumentation Project (USIP). USIP was originally a NASA program created for the purpose of engaging undergraduate students in the development and deployment of Earth and space instrumentation. It has since become an independent project directed by the University of Houston with the same goals in mind. USIP is a multidisciplinary student lead project based on the 5E instructional model, allowing students to decide on and direct their own research projects with the consultation of professors. As part of the research, two surveys were made using aGPR and UAS at the CRREL tunnel near Fairbanks, Alaska. The CRREL tunnel penetrates through soil, gravel,ice, wood, and bones which have been radiocarbon dated toaround 40,000 years old. It was originally excavated by the U.S. Army and is currently being operated by the U.S. Army Corp of engineers. Throughout the summer, the tunnel is kept at freezing temperatures to maintain the permafrost while also exposing it, making it an ideal location for local permafrost research. The data collected can be built upon with other surveys to monitor permafrost layers as well as mapping out ice wedges within the permafrost, which could potentially melt forming thermokarst sinkholes. Monitoring permafrost in the subsurface is vital to understanding and mapping areas with the potential of developing into future thermokarst sinkholes. Future developments of thermokarst sinkholes could potentially cause damage to highways, buildings, and possibly the Alaskan pipeline. To better understand these changes in the permafrost and the associated risks, a survey was carriedout in multiple steps using both GPR data and visible-thermal camera data from a UAS. This data is intended to be built upon in the future with other surveys for the continued monitoring of permafrost layers

View Video Presentation: https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2022-0931.vid The Undergraduate Student Instrumentation (USIP) project at University of Houston (UH) is an educational initiative released by the NASA Science Mission Directorate that aims at engaging undergraduate students in the process of developing Earth and space science instruments for use in balloon borne atmospheric science and Geospace investigations in the auroral zone. The initiative engages undergraduate students in STEM related majors in a full-fledged, hands-on project while simultaneously developing technical and project management skills that will be necessary in their future careers. The mission of the UH USIP is to design, build, and fly instruments on-board high-altitude latex balloons to study atmospheric and auroral phenomena near the arctic circle. The campaign that will be discussed in this paper is the fourth USIP iteration. The instruments designed by this USIP group include a Very Low, medium, and High radio frequency receiver, a digital to analog IRIG-B Time Code encoder, an atmospheric extremophile and microplastics organism collection device, an atmospheric conductivity detector, High Energy Particles, various Gaseous Compound detectors, and a drone time-of-flight UAV Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR).

Variations of vertical atmospheric electric field E z have been attributed mainly to meteorological processes. On the other hand, the theory of electromagnetic waves in the atmosphere, between the bottom ionosphere and earth’s surface, predicts two modes, magnetic H (TE) and electric E (TH) modes, where the E-mode has a vertical electric field component, E z . Past attempts to find signatures of ULF (periods from fractions to tens of minutes) disturbances in E z gave contradictory results. Recently, study of ULF disturbances of atmospheric electric field became feasible thanks to project GLOCAEM, which united stations with 1 sec measurements of potential gradient. These data enable us to address the long-standing problem of the coupling between atmospheric electricity and space weather disturbances at ULF time scales. Also, we have reexamined results of earlier balloon-born electric field and ground magnetic field measurements in Antarctica. Transmission of storm sudden commencement (SSC) impulses to lower latitudes was often interpreted as excitation of the electric TH 0 mode, instantly propagating along the ionosphere–ground waveguide. According to this theoretical estimate, even a weak magnetic signature of the E-mode ∼1 nT must be accompanied by a burst of E z well exceeding the atmospheric potential gradient. We have examined simultaneous records of magnetometers and electric field-mills during >50 SSC events in 2007–2019 in search for signatures of E-mode. However, the observed E z disturbance never exceeded background fluctuations ∼10 V/m, much less than expected for the TH 0 mode. We constructed a model of the electromagnetic ULF response to an oscillating magnetospheric field-aligned current incident onto the realistic ionosphere and atmosphere. The model is based on numerical solution of the full-wave equations in the atmospheric-ionospheric collisional plasma, using parameters that were reconstructed using the IRI model. We have calculated the vertical and horizontal distributions of magnetic and electric fields of both H- and E-modes excited by magnetospheric field-aligned currents. The model predicts that the excitation rate of the E-mode by magnetospheric disturbances is low, so only a weak E z response with a magnitude of ∼several V/m will be produced by ∼100 nT geomagnetic disturbance. However, at balloon heights (∼30 km), electric field of the E-mode becomes dominating. Predicted amplitudes of horizontal electric field in the atmosphere induced by Pc5 pulsations and travelling convection vortices, about tens of mV/m, are in good agreement with balloon electric field and ground magnetometer observations.

The authors explore the capability of a VASIMR ® or HiPEP solar slingshot concept to send a large spacecraft to Uranus, Neptune and beyond.The VASIMR ® performs a slingshot pass or Oberth manoeuvre close to the Sun.With solar electric propulsion, the effect of the Oberth manoeuvre is boosted by using the high level of available solar energy to produce a sustained burst of high thrust.This trajectory provides enough kinetic energy to the probe within one AU to reach Jupiter orbit or beyond.This study identifies the important parameters in the propulsion system operation (power level, propellant mass, payload release point, distance of closest approach to the Sun).The solar array is assumed a planar array rather than a concentrator since it will have to operate near the Sun, where a concentrator would overheat photovoltaic cells.The VASIMR ® powered solar Oberth manoeuvre reaches a speed > 60 kps at maximum velocity.In order to stop at Saturn, the VASIMR ® must retrofire from 1 AU to 5 AU.So far, the best-case Saturn model assumes 30 mT in LEO, and a 5 kps Earth departure velocity from the chemical launch system.The simulation arrives at 1.1x10 6 km from Saturn with a velocity of 3.3 kps.Using chemical SOI, the simulated system delivers an 8.5 mT payload in 4.44 years transit time.The paper also discusses Uranus, Neptune.Eris, and thousand AU simulation results.Simulations reach Eris in 10-15 years.

Earth and Space Science Open Archive PosterOpen AccessYou are viewing the latest version by default [v1]Remote Sensing Teams LiDAR Landslide Mapping Project Continues Despite COVID Related SetbacksAuthorsPresleyGreeriDAbrahamVegaiDAfriaaNasiriDConorHealeyNamDangRahulPrabhuTommyTranShuhabKhanEdgarBeringSee all authors Presley GreeriDCorresponding Author• Submitting AuthorUniversity of HoustoniDhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-9803-8733view email addressThe email was not providedcopy email addressAbraham VegaiDUniversity of HoustoniDhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-7548-3439view email addressThe email was not providedcopy email addressAfriaa NasiriDUniversity of HoustoniDhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-3505-8731view email addressThe email was not providedcopy email addressConor HealeyUniversity of Houstonview email addressThe email was not providedcopy email addressNam DangUniversity of Houstonview email addressThe email was not providedcopy email addressRahul PrabhuUniversity of Houstonview email addressThe email was not providedcopy email addressTommy TranUniversity of Houstonview email addressThe email was not providedcopy email addressShuhab KhanUniversity of Houstonview email addressThe email was not providedcopy email addressEdgar BeringUniversity of Houstonview email addressThe email was not providedcopy email address