Is this project an undergraduate, graduate, or faculty project?
Graduate
Project Type
individual
Campus
Daytona Beach
Authors' Class Standing
Nathan Graves, Graduate Student Henry Valentine, Graduate Student Others are Faculty
Lead Presenter's Name
Nathan Graves
Lead Presenter's College
DB College of Arts and Sciences
Faculty Mentor Name
Aroh Barjatya
Abstract
Measurements of aerodynamic drag on objects can be used to determine the density of the medium provided other variables are known. The Space and Atmospheric Instrumentation Laboratory launched a midlatitude sounding rocket named SpEED Demon from Wallops Flight Facility in August 2022. Among the instruments onboard were sensitive low-cost MEMS accelerometers allowing for neutral density measurements through the drag technique up to 100km in altitude. In addition to sensitive accelerometers on the main payload, four ejectable subpayloads also carry an accelerometer providing simultaneous multi-point neutral density measurements, akin to a ‘falling cylinder’ experiment. We present the flight performance and results of this drag-based density measurement technique from the SpEED Demon launch. Drag-derived density results are compared with density measurements from an ionization gauge instrument and the MSIS atmospheric model to provide validation of the technique, showing agreement within 10% in the 80-100km altitude range.
Did this research project receive funding support (Spark, SURF, Research Abroad, Student Internal Grants, Collaborative, Climbing, or Ignite Grants) from the Office of Undergraduate Research?
No
Mesosphere-Lower-Thermosphere Neutral Density Measurements from Low-cost COTS Accelerometers and Ionization Gauge
Measurements of aerodynamic drag on objects can be used to determine the density of the medium provided other variables are known. The Space and Atmospheric Instrumentation Laboratory launched a midlatitude sounding rocket named SpEED Demon from Wallops Flight Facility in August 2022. Among the instruments onboard were sensitive low-cost MEMS accelerometers allowing for neutral density measurements through the drag technique up to 100km in altitude. In addition to sensitive accelerometers on the main payload, four ejectable subpayloads also carry an accelerometer providing simultaneous multi-point neutral density measurements, akin to a ‘falling cylinder’ experiment. We present the flight performance and results of this drag-based density measurement technique from the SpEED Demon launch. Drag-derived density results are compared with density measurements from an ionization gauge instrument and the MSIS atmospheric model to provide validation of the technique, showing agreement within 10% in the 80-100km altitude range.