Countdown to FRR

It's down to the wire. Both teams is working strenuously hard to develop or put together their Flight Readiness Review. The electrical team is working on putting their circuit board Layout on Express PCB. The Software team is finalizing or correcting their flowcharts, so they can get ready to write their codes to load programs onto the BalloonSat or you can say the Data Archive subsystem. The Mechanical team is down in the workshop slicing and dicing on foam cutting out the set dimensions required to be able to construct the final payload. So, if your guessing where I should be right now. I should be heading down to the workshop for today's task...Until Next time Adios Amigos...

All work, no food

I wish I could eat, but I can't. I went to 459 and tried to eat some fruit and my stomach started to hurt. This is ridiculous. I still feel under the weather. I might have to finish everything soon. So, I could rest a little bit more. I'm feeling sleepy. I'm happy I made an effort to come today,instead of staying in my bed complaining. I feel I got alot accomplished. Now i'm caught up with my team. So I need to just take it a bit further and try to finish everything tonight. After, I'm done hopefully I could fully recover and eat some real food.Hopefully, we'll get our checks and we could go get groceries for the room and I could get some tylenol for my headache and other medicine. Until Next time....I'll blog a little bit more when I get better.

A New Day

I'm in the lab working on my thermal calculations. The time is 10:40 in the morning. Let's see how long I could last before I get nauseous again. I'm feeling weak.I haven't eaten anything.Everything I eat, I end up throwing it back up again. So Jim told me to stick to liquids for now. I'm not 100% today, but i should be able to do sufficient work to catch up. Right now, I should work on my narative part for the CDR and do my calculations later on tonight. So back to work I go. Hopefully I could stay up to finish my work because the meds in my system is making me sleepy. I'll fight through it and stay up. I should win today because I've been suffering for two days now....and i look like a mess. Even in my condition I still found a way to wake up and made it to my 9:00 meeting on time. Also, i'm in the lab working diligently on an empty stomach.That's what you call Dedication and being a team player. Until next time ....Adios Amigos...

Worst night ever

I couldn't go to sleep. I tossed and turned. I had chest pain, I kept on vomitting.Why? I ate some onions that were unnoticeable. Oh. How I ate onions. Why me? Anyways, I took some medicine and rested the whole day and did a little bit of work. I feel a little better.So back to work I go.I'll like to thank everyone who brought me medicine when i was low on cash. Goodnight Blog world.

The trip to Livingston Parish

What is LIGO Observatory? If your scratching your head right about now wondering what is LIGO. Do not worry we were on the same boat when I first heard about it. LIGO stands for Laser Interferometer Gravtitational-wave Obersvatory. It is one of two gravitational wave observatory in the U.S. The site was very interesting and opened my eyes to a whole new world I am ashamed that I have not really paid any attention to.

I knew about Albert Einstein and his general theory of relativity which led to the assumption of the existence of gravitational waves.Moreover, I didn't know that detecting gravitational waves can help us figure out why the Big Bang and all the corruption in the universe occurred. I learned that noise effects the detection of gravitational waves. So, LIGO is trying to find a way to filter out the noise.On the other hand, the most interesting process I saw at the site was how they detect the waves using infrared laser beams. First, the beams are released out of the main building also known as the control center. There is the main mirror that reflects the beam into two directions leading to two different mirrors in separate buildings. In each building there is a mirror that reflects the beams back to the control center. This process is intriguing and is like no other, it's very unique and brilliant. There are two tunnel-like arms that stretch 4-kilometers out to the other bulidings, which is astoundingly detailed and constructed.The ultrastable laser beams have to travel through these tunnels which consist of vacuum pipes.

If there is any vibration from the earth,like a tree falling or construction near by it will interrupt the data received by the very sensitive beams. Meaning it's very hard to detect the gravitational waves with the noisy encircling environment we live in. That's why these sites are built as far as possible from major cities. I was told the only way Ligo will be sure that the detection is 100 % correct is if their partnering site in Washington, which is thousands of miles away, gets the same exact reading they received. When that happens technology will be change forever and science books will not be able to fit in an average size bookbag anymore. I would recommend everyone to go visit a site like LIGO, because it was an experience I will never forget. I would like to thank Mr.Greg Guzik for arranging the trip.Encore...Encore..I wouldn't mind taking another trip there.

Trip to CAMD

The trip to the CAMD site was okay. I learned more about physics and what is Synchroton X-ray tomography. Synchrotron X-Ray tomography ranks as one of the leading high-resolution 3D imaging methods for materials and science-based experiments. We were taken on a tour around the facility. I never seen so much alumunium foil. I assumed that the alumunium foil was used to secure the heat or water within the vacuum pumps. The site was new to me.Yet i'm happy I left there with enough knowledge to induce me to further explore or at least minor in Physics.

Pre-PDR Review

I have a better understanding of how we should structure our documents. I told my team the night before we should not be nervous about the critiques. The critiques is only going to give us insight to better future work or documents. Although, the feedback was more negative than positive. I and my team is intending to take the advice and use it to our advantage. The main problem with our Pre- PDR was distinguishing the implementation from the objectives. Also, our science and technical requirements were mixed up with our objectives. Now, I know with the new comprehension or knowledge of both objectives and requirements I can correct the problem. It's time for another team meeting....SABRE. Until next time....Adios

A new day

I woke up today feeling rejuvenated and ready for any obstacles that come my way. I felt that way because....i simply can't tell you. I just woke up knowing that i have a job to do and be clear i will do by any means necessary. I'm not only striving for myself and my team, i have my family and friends depending on me and i will not fail. I'm determined, ambitious, and I'll strenuously work to accomplish our goals in this project. Well it's back to work for me....until next time....Adios

Readjustments

It is Monday, June 22, 2009.We're in the lab trying to resolve or add more information to our Pre-PDR. Basically, I was informed by Jim that even though i have my requirements ready for the Pre-PDR. I need to make sure that the requirements linked to the objectives. Once there is a connection between the objectives and requirements. We should know when our goals can be met. So i'm in the process of completing my science and technical requirements. Until next time.....Adios

Pre-PDR

Our Pre-PDR is coming along. All the tasks were distributed amongst the team on Thursday. As a team we did what we had to do to complete our Pre- PDR by Friday night. That goes to show that you don't really need to sleep when you have a goal to meet.

Lift- off

10..9..8...7...6..5...4..3..2..1 we have lift- off folks. It's time to get down to business. Looks like i won't be getting any sleep from now on. I guess that's what it takes if you want to succeed in today's society. Right. So our goal as a team is to work together and develop a method that will work. We also i have to manage all the possible risk that can occur. So basically we're supposed to assigned at least one person for every scenario or possible speed bump within the project. Step 1 is to complete our Pre-PDR and go from there. We need to take it Step -by step and no overloading. Its okay to do it faster and cheaper but ill prefer to do it better and cheaper. At a steady pace is where we need to keep it to avoid any problems.Even though we started our research a week and a half ago, i feel we still have so much to do. I'm ready for whatever obstacles i have to face. GO ASU.......we can do it...

Communication

Communication is key to success . As a team communication is very significant.In order to accomplish every aspect of our project, it takes organization and comprehension. I would say that our team is coherent, we understand each other. We work as one team.No one is over anybody. Everyone has their roles and will work efficiently.

Project Management

Project Management is very significant and the key to success during our time here. In order to accomplish our goals as a team we need to manage our time. Meaning, we have to balance what's needed and what we can trade-off. As a team we have to go through the basic stages: Forming,storming,norming,performing,adjourning. These are the stages I noticed and figured out during today's afternoon lecture about management.On the other hand , a team can also have pitfalls which can be avoided.We're coming along great as a team and I know we'll be successful in the long run.Last, i'm satisfied with my team members and we're going to make it happen...Until next time...i'll be Back

Minor difficulty with my BalloonSat

At first my balloonSat was working fine. Until I came up to a bump in the road. Meaning, while i was programming my balloonSat using BasicStamp. My BalloonSat would not read the program i typed up. It kept reading ff when it was supposed to read 1fff.Anyways, i figured it out when Jim told me I was only missing a quotation mark for one of my comments. One minor mistake restrained the whole BalloonSat from reading properly.It could of saved me time and stress if i just remembered to add that quotation mark. Until next time .....my bloggers adios

My favorite day out of the week

If u guess Friday. Your correct. I have some work to do today and learn new things. I'm ready for it. What's next.

Thursday morning

Its June 11,2009. I think I blogged about something the previous night or maybe I was dreaming about blogging.Anyways it's a new day and there are new things to explore and learn. I hope this day goes by very quickly because my favorite day out of the week is Friday. I highly doubt it though Thursday is one of my long and stressed out days.Yesterday, I learned a lot about programming my balloonSat and set the rtc (real time clock).Also later on that day i also learned a little bit more about static shock,cosmic alchemy. there is more to be learned......until next time Adios amigos

June 10, 2009

I woke up this morning and just went back to sleep. I Woke up a hour later and realized i was two hours late. I knew everyone was wondering did i oversleep. Just kidding I woke up at 7:30 this morning and had a great breakfast. I made it to the lab 5 minutes early. I'm ready for a new day and to learn something new and exciting today. Ohhhhhhhh YEahhhhhhh

Another day gone another day looking forward to

Today was a long day. I learned how to further program my BalloonSat.I and my partner had issues with our BalloonSat. It would not work. I was agitated and baffled about our BalloonSat not working like the others. Maybe tomorrow will be a better day. Time for me to SNOOZE...Buenas Noches ......

Another Late night in the Lab

Just finished up in the Lab and ready to go back to the room. I'm so tired. what's next. I'm ready for tomorrow and a whole new day....ohhhhh yeaaaahhh.....

June 8, 2009

Today was an exhausting day. I didn't get enough sleep the previous night. That's the price for staying up and watching the playoffs and catching up on some work. I'll be okay. I'll just keep going until i reach my goal. I'm determined to learn as much as i can. Take as much in as possible.On the other hand, i do miss home. I'll just hang in there like a trooper and do what i have to do. It's all about business no play. I'll work hard and play later. Until then it's all about business....I'm still ecstatic that I'm here participating with three people I always wanted to work with. Hopefully, i wont be too tired tomorrow. Until next time my people in blog world ...Adios Amigos...Buenas Noches

Another Awesome Day

It's Friday June 5 ,2009. What can i say I'm loving the experience. Today by far was the best day. I learned how to program my BalloonSat using Basic stamp editor. I'm like the best programmer now. I should be a master programmer and an Engineer at the same time. It will be a great side or extra skill to have. I should add master programmer to my resume now..lol. Anyways i had another interesting day looking forward to learning more about Ham Radios tomorrow.Until next time ......Adios

Today is June 4 , 2009. Today was quite interesting. I was tired because i stayed up trying to catch up on some reading last night. I just finished my BalloonSat with my good partner in crime Dr.Morris. We're actually ahead of schedule and just trying to go back and make sure we have not made any errors. It's the fourth day of the Pacer Program, I'm loving it day by day. I learned something new and apply it or put it to test on the same day is actually intriguing. I love the hands- on activities. Still looking forward to reach my goal after this Program and spread the word and knowledge about what i've seen and done and of course experienced to others.. Until next time blog world...im signing out

Pacer June 1, 2009

It's Monday June 1 , 2009. It's my first day in the pacer program. I'm enjoying my first day. Everything seems to be going well so far. I'm hoping to gain experience and knowledge and enjoy my time here.