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ISON
The only way is up!
ISON is a joint American/British voluntary
aerospace project, which is operated by a
group of professionals who range from web
developers to engineers. This Project aims
to launch a rocket from a high altitude
launch platform at an altitude of 70,500ft
(21.5km). The rocket is expected to enter
space by breaking through the Krmn
line and reaching an altitude of at least
328,000ft (100km).
ISON is not only about launching a rocket
into space. It has another, perhaps more
important objective, which is to inspire the
next generation of explorers, innovators
and dreamers.
Around May of last year, I noticed an
unusual project on Kickstarter called ISON.
This project was created by a group of
die hard space enthusiasts, ISONs then
primary goal was to launch a ground based
rocket to an altitude of over 100km. This
Project instantly grabbed my attention, it
brought me back to my childhood dreams
of space travel and I knew then that this
was something that I needed to support.
Sadly the initial Kickstarter fundraiser was
unsuccessful, but the dream was far from
over, in fact it only had just begun. I was
greatly honoured by becoming a member
of the ISON Team, but little did I know that
soon my skills would be used by managing
the British Team on this project.
Jamey Erickson is the project leader for
ISON. He has previously created two
successful high altitude weather balloon
projects called Bespin and Yavin IV. Of
which Bespin managed to capture images
of the Earth from an altitude of over
100,000ft (30.5km).The other members of
the American team include Andy Kvamme,
our liaison with the Hack Factory, John
Heimkes, Advisor/test coordinator and Dan
Showers, who is heading the design of the
rocket.
Evolution of a design.
ISON 2.0
The original concept was of a 10lb (4.5kg)
rocket with an internal camera, suspended
by a series of balloons. At that stage we
were not aiming to get a rocket into space
but were aiming to reach an altitude in
excess of 150,000ft.
As an engineer, I saw a variety of
difficulties with this concept. After a few
hours and several gallons of coffee, The
Trident configuration was conceived, this
was a three armed structure which would
employ six, 3000gm weather balloons,
each of which would have a lift capacity
of 3kg. These balloons would be tethered
directly above the structure. Additional lift
capacity could be achieved by the inclusion
of further weather balloons fitted between
each of the arms.
However, like most things that are worth
doing in life, things were never that simple.
The mission objectives changed. Instead of
using a 10lb rocket, we were now to use
a 60lb rocket which would be capable of
reaching space, but not obtaining orbital
velocity.
The Trident configuration would have to
evolve to meet the new mission criteria,
and so a five arm variant called Dream
Catcher was conceived. This structure
would utilise fifteen, 3000gm weather
balloons.
At 70,500ft, the altitude at which we will
launch the rocket, the weather balloons
will expand to around 25 feet. In order to
reduce both the size and consequently
the weight of the launch platform we will
stagger the height of these balloons.
At this altitude, environmental conditions
will present a challenge to various
components such as the electronics, we
must consider the ambient temperature
which will be approximately 56.5C. The
atmospheric pressure will be approximately
44.4 mb (millibars), compared to 1013.25
mb at sea level. Because of this a special
ignition system for the rocket must be
constructed and an integrated 14 feet
launch rail system developed, to provide
initial guidance and stability for the rocket.
It was at this point that I realised that I did
not have the capacity to completely design
this new structure, as well as manage the
British team. For the good of the project
I decided to bring two highly skilled
mechanical engineers onto the team.
They are Richard Sewell who will lead the
structures design, with Yasiin Kotowaroo,
providing assistance.
Apart from launching a rocket, the
launch platform will also host additional
equipment ranging from cameras to air
A Scottish engineer and an American web developer decide to put a rocket into
space! It almost sounds like the start to a bad joke, but this is how the current
iteration of a project called ISON was born.
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ISON
The only way is up!
ISON is not only about launching a
rocket into space, its objective is to
inspire the next generation of explorers,
innovators and dreamers.
The original DreamCatcher
Concept, with ten 3000gm
weather balloons instead
of 15.
Staggered weather
balloons as to reduce
structures size.
Original launch
platform concepts.
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ISON
temperature sensors. This will be designed by
Douglas Evans, who I previously worked with
on the British Council project Monroe 1. All
recorded data and images will be released
publicly for free, as to encourage people to
take an interest in STEM subjects.
The team is organised into a pseudo
company, where everyone has roles and
responsibilities, in an effort to reduce
excessive workloads for individuals as well
as prevent work from being duplicated. We
have a good exchange of ideas between all
members of this project. Regular meetings
are scheduled between the British and
American Team.
Once the final design has been submitted,
it will then be manufactured by The Hack
Factory. This is a non-profit organisation
located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, which
encourages the local community to learn and
take a hands-on approach to engineering.
Engineers and enthusiasts alike will come
together to manufacture ISON, before it is
shipped off to the launch destination. We are
in talks to launch from the Mojave Desert,
and possibly from a location within Europe.
STEM
In my view, one of the greatest failings of
engineering is its inability to clearly express
its objectives to the general public, without
swamping them in technobabble.
It may be of interest for an engineer to hear
the detailed technical specifications of a
device, but to the general public this is not
only of no interest, it will actively discourage
some of them from engineering, as well as
the sciences.
To counter this, one of our main aims is
to help promote the Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields.
We aim to achieve this by providing regular
updates to our blog which will filter out the
heavily technical elements of our project,
so most people can understand what is
happening, presenting our data with pictures
and media, instead of a wall of text.
At present I have contacted various STEM
bodies throughout the UK, and hope that
they will get onboard with us and use
ISON as a vessel to reach out to people
and encourage people to take an interest in
science and engineering.
Volunteers
Because of the lofty ambitions of this
project, in particular with reaching out to
the public, we have had to ask for help from
various volunteers, such as, but not limited
to, Dundee Photographic Society for their
help with pictures of Dundee, and Chris
Harrison and the team from the Planetfall
movie for their help in promoting ISON.
ISON, will also be working alongside Project
Mobility charity which helps disabled
veterans by enabling them to build and race
rally cars. Project Mobility will assist ISON by
providing transport and aiding in the design
of the launch platform ground retaining
mechanism, which will dock with and secure
the Launch Platform safely to the ground,
whilst its weather balloons are being inflated.
ISON wants you!
Because of the nature of this project, we are
not only pushing boundaries but we have
many non-technical obstacles to overcome.
John Evans, our lawyer, is currently trying
to secure grants and sponsorships for this
project.
ISON is not solely about its team members,
it is also a community event. We want you to
be with us and share our in achievements. Be
it by using our pictures in your presentations,
or by helping to fund us. Our project can be
your project.
So, if a Scotsman and an American send a
rocket into space, will you be on board?
david.evans.engineer@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/isonspace?fref=ts
https://twitter.com/ison_space
The team is organised
into a pseudo
company where
everyone has roles
and responsibilities,
in an effort to reduce
excessive workloads
for individuals as well
as prevent work from
being duplicated.
Early concept
for lightweight
structure. This
design would
also be used as
a test bed.
Side view of original
Trident configuration.
Concept picture of a top down
view of the High Altitude Launch
Platform in flight.
ISON
About the Author
David Evans lives in Dundee and is
currently studying for a second degree
in engineering with the Open University.
Apart from pursuing his own designs,
he is currently taking time out to be
involved with several other projects
which include organising a fundraising
campaign for Project Mobility, as well as
working to promote engineering to the
general public.
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The red balloons
represent potential
additional lift capacity.
Concept art for a side-on view of the
DreamCatcher High Altitude Launch Platform.