Preliminary Design Review

Abstract
The project consists of a primary and a secondary mission.

The primary mission consists of measuring the temperature and pressure throughout the whole flight of the satellite. The
CanSat will therefore include an additional sensor specified to take those measurements.

The data obtained should be sent to the ground station every second to allow the team to analyze the information given
and plot graphs that should facilitate the execution and organization of the secondary mission. It is important to notice that
measuring both temperature and pressure, will allow us to identify the position of our satellite, as these two factors can be
modelled to provide the height at which the system is placed at some point in the given time.

The secondary mission is designed to investigate the presence of viruses, additionally bacteria, at a designated height above
sea level. To pursue this experiment the satellite will be equipped with three filters, enclosed in a sterile chamber, allowing
the separation of the desired sample from any other contaminants and microorganisms.

The air will be pushed through the sterile chamber described above with the use of a pump to increase the possibility of
collecting the samples only at the desired height. The aim of the secondary mission is also to measure the humidity at a
certain height above sea level. This will be done using the same sensor as the one used in the primary mission. It is crucial
to know the level of humidity to adjust for the filter air flow capacity.

Why is our mission worth pursuing?

Our idea appeared as an answer to the recently published studies of the possibility of microbes being present in the
atmospheres of Mars1 and Venus2. We would like to propose a new method of exploration of extraterrestrial life: an
atmospheric sample return mission. This mission, as a technology demonstrator, would test the viability of our new versatile
method that could be easily adapted to numerous conditions present on multiple celestial bodies throughout the Solar
System.

Additionally, the results of our experiment, apart from promoting the idea that life is possible on other planets than Earth,
could help understand better the life cycle of bacteria and viruses also here on Earth. Painting a big picture of growth and
needs of simple microbiological organisms could help us understand how to fight the harmful ones and how to effectively
make use of the neutral or beneficial organisms.

Atmospheric sample studies of viruses3 are also a quickly growing field of microbiology and similar studies to our knowledge
have not been performed in Poland so far, giving us a unique chance to contribute to the body of science.

What is most exciting about our mission is the fact that collecting samples exhibits so much about the unknown, about the
area that has not been studied much in the past. It is all doable and extremely exciting, and while it will be a considerable
challenge, this is what fuels our love and admiration for learning. Through this expedition we want to clearly state that no
matter the conditions you are working in (like the pandemic we are currently in) there is always the possibility to contribute
positively to the world.

Introduction
Team Organization and roles

The Air Thief team is supervised by Dr Jakub Bochiński – an excellent astronomer, designer, and a constructor of robotic
telescopes. Each of our team members dedicates at least 4 hours weekly for the project during our planned meetings. Apart
from that all the members work on their own around 4 hours in a week not including lessons like physics, mathematics or
programming that are helpful when designing a CanSat.

1
Article presenting Evidence that liquid water flows on Mars.
2
Research paper about phosphine gas in the cloud decks of Venus.
3
Research paper detailing methods for sampling airborne viruses.

2
Air Thief consists of 5 members apart from our supervisor:

The Team Leader and main mechanic is Aleksy Chwedczuk. For his final exams he takes physics, mathematics,
and further mathematics. He is a pro designer and telescope constructor4. He, as well as the whole team, is
mesmerized by the night sky.
Air Thief’s Sales Representative is Tymon Augustyniak. For his final exams he chose physics, economics,
mathematics, and further mathematics. He is an excellent writer and is amazed by the world’s unknowns. He
designs and builds his own computers. His passion for drawing and sketching is extremely helpful for the project.
Our electrician is Henryk Nowacki. For his A-levels he is taking physics, mathematics, and geography. His
understanding of various, complex electrical systems designing is outstanding. He is also interested in building
and prototyping planes and gliders.
The team's programmer is Mateusz Mazurczak. He studies biology, chemistry, mathematics, and further
mathematics. Apart from programming he is fascinated by viruses which is quite helpful in carrying out the
mission.
The team’s Marketing Representative is Maria Matuszewska. She studies biology, chemistry, mathematics, and
physics. She is also deeply passionate about astronomy and spaceflights.

Most of our work revolves around communication through social media.

We often arrange specific times and dates to check if the person who is
needed for the job is available, as we all have very tight schedules. Aleksy,
the Team Leader, often arranges meetings in between members and sets
them tasks and deadlines that fit their specializations and deadlines.
Members then call each other and collaborate with each other to
complete bits and pieces of said work, which is then put together by
Aleksy. As a team, we prepared a 4h time slot for project-oriented
activities on Saturdays from 10am to 2pm. Even though, during this time
we handle most collective work, we also designated a period during the
work week (Monday-Friday) where we conclude and check each other’s
progress. This additional period focused on running check-ups is crucial,
since we all individually work on tasks throughout the week.

For better effectiveness of the work schedule, the team was divided into smaller sub-teams that are responsible for specific
tasks such as electronics, 3D-modelling, marketing, software and design group that are all supervised by the Team Leader.
In addition to that, a lot of the planning of our mission occurs on the Miro app, where we implement most of our ideas and
divide work between each other. We decided to take inspiration from ECSS set of standards for space project management
(i.e. ECSS-M-ST-10C) to have a firmer grasp of what we want to achieve in our mission, and how we want to accomplish it.
The use of the ECSS standards (e.g. product tree, WBS, etc.) is essential, because thanks to its established norms it makes
our project clear and available for future development.

Mission Objectives

Our mission consists of two major steps: the first one is imposed by the Competition. This mission consists of measuring air
pressure and air temperature over the length of the whole flight. Our team will additionally challenge itself with measuring
air humidity at an altitude of about 1-2km above the ground. The CanSat will be programmed specifically to measure the
desired variables every second to leave the team with as much data as possible.

The parameters acquired should be transmitted as telemetry to the ground station to be further analyzed.5 Graphs that
would be useful in investigating the secondary mission’s outcomes should be plotted. The secondary mission is our team's
original idea; this is the notion of collecting an air sample from the designated altitude to then later measure and detect the
number of viruses present in our sample.

The CanSat will consist of the main part, similar in all satellites, and an additional sterile chamber equipped with 2 filters
that are specially designed to separate viruses from any other contaminants and microorganisms. 6 Additionally, our satellite
will be equipped with a hygrometer – the level of humidity is extremely important regarding our filtration mechanism. The
permeability of the filters is strongly dependent on the humidity. The amount of water molecules present can close the pores
of the filters affecting the amount of data collected. We will therefore have to conduct a test to calculate the impact a
certain level of humidity would have on the permeability of the filters.

4
Website presenting a DIY telescope created by Aleksy Chwedczuk
5
Tests concerning the final on-ground analysis will be performed using the same collected data separated into equal parts.
6
Bacteria viability protocols and test kits

3
To analyze the collected data, we will be using flow cytometry 7. The equipment needed to conduct this analysis will be
provided to us by Adamed8. Prior to running this investigation, we will prepare our data accordingly to generally accepted
protocols. Our team has contacted dr. Rafał Mostowy from Microbial Genomics Group and mgr. Edyta Żyła from the
Jagiellonian University of Kraków – Faculty of biochemistry, biophysics, and biotechnology, and has gotten an official
approval of the methods9 of analysis used in our project.

The crucial part of our secondary mission is to perform numerous tests prior to launching the satellite. The team will have to
perform at least one positive, one negative, and one control test of the filtration mechanism and the sample collection
system. The positive control of the sample analysis will be performed to show the results that we should be expecting during
the final analysis. This test should also be done to investigate the sterility of our sample collection system and the level of
contaminants found within the chamber or test tubes. The negative control is to calibrate the cytometer and to analyze the
cellular autofluorescence.

Lastly, the control test will be performed using agar plates or any other method to analyze the viability of bacteria, collected
using the F9 filter, which could be possible hosts for viruses. If the bacteria show even the slightest sign of viability, we could
include them in our further flow cytometry analysis. Furthermore, during our control test we should investigate the presence
of duplexes which could affect the results.

An additional step will be required whilst investigating the samples – it is to use a fluorescence label specific for viruses and
bacteria. Prepared samples should be assembled in a test tube with both virus and bacteria specific dye to eliminate any
errors that could occur due to unsterile handling of data. Each dye will re-emit light upon light excitation resulting in diverse
colors, thus making the obtained results easier to read.

We estimate that the results will be ready within 10 hours from the beginning of the experiment.

Basic system objective:

Element Requirement Mission type

Temperature sensor Measuring temperature Primary
GPS Finding and relaying the coordinates of the satellite to the Primary and Secondary
ground station
Temperature-regulating Regulating the temperature to eliminate any errors in the Primary and Secondary
system temperature measurement
Pressure sensor Measuring pressure Primary
Hygrometer Measuring the humidity during the whole flight Primary
Air filters Separating viruses from bacteria and contaminants Secondary
Electronics - Primary and Secondary
Air pump Pumping large amounts of air into the sterile chamber equipped Secondary
with two filters
Software Programmed to take the primary measurements every 1 s Primary and secondary
Programmed to start filtering the air at release of the satellite
and closing the system after 25% of the altitude magnitude
covered by the satellite during the fall.
Sharing the collected information.
YAGI Receiving antenna Will enable receiving sent from the CanSat with important data Primary and secondary
from the sensors and the location from GPS
Beeper Will transmit loud 80dB beeps to help find it. Primary and secondary
Ground station Receiving the collected information, plotting graphs Primary and secondary

Primary mission: When will the launch be considered successful?

The collected data parameters should be transmitted to the ground station at least every second.
We should collect enough data to plot a graph.

Secondary mission: When will the launch be considered successful?

The system should pump not less than 0.5 liters of air
We should be able to collect any number of viruses considering the permeability of the filters
The temperature-regulating system should start cooling the satellite as soon as the temperature exceeds 20°C

7
Flow Cytometry protocols, Direct flow cytometry protocol, Cell surface staining, Filtering protocol
8
Letter of Intent from Adamed
9
Letter of Intent from a representative of Jagielloński University, mgr. Edyta Żyła

4
 The CanSat’s temperature-regulating system should maintain a stable temperature between 14-23 °C
The pumping system should stop working before reaching one kilometer above Earth
The chamber should be tightly sealed
The parachute should provide a safe landing so that the chamber does not burst when hitting the ground
Ground part: We should prepare the data prior to flow cytometry analysis
Ground part: We should be able to successfully perform the cytometric analysis

Expected results:

The primary mission’s data transmission will be successful – we will receive data every second
The temperature-regulating system will maintain a stable temperature in the range of about 14-23°C
The parachute will promote a safe landing in alliance of a material capable of absorbing impacts

How will our secondary mission contribute?

Exploring the uncharted field might promote further investigations regarding extraterrestrial life similarly to the previous
research on Venus and Mars. Our mission is intended to be a technology demonstrator for future space missions. Recently,
scientists were able to prove that in Venus’ atmosphere a chemical – Phosphine – was present10. What is interesting about
that is the fact that this chemical’s source can only be explained by alive organisms present in this planet’s thick atmosphere.
Scientists consider microbes as a possible factor causing the presence of phosphine. To date, research conducted on this
matter was only thanks to the use of telescopes, however it is already said that future space missions will be conducted to
scrutinize this subject more. Our mission would fall perfectly as an example of such a mission since we are analyzing microbes
in the atmosphere as well. Some variables would have to be adjusted; however, this represents a possible solution for tests
that will be conducted in Venus’ atmosphere soon. Our project presents a new method of exploration of extraterrestrial life
that could be easily adapted in the search for other variables in the atmosphere of a planet. We hope that our satellite will
create a new trend in the scientific world and will be further continued by others.

Examining viruses at a certain height that can live without a contiguous, natural host might promote a more in-depth
research regarding the growth and life of viruses. There is recent research (Reche et al. 2018) presenting concrete evidence
for the existence of a vibrant and plentiful viral community present at high altitudes, above the mountains of Sierra Nevada,
Spain, at an altitude higher than the atmospheric boundary layer. Similar research has not yet been performed above the
territory of Poland, but it is likely that viruses would be detected – we have contacted a polish microbiologist and
bioinformatician Dr. Rafał Mostowy and he believes that this proposed research is plausible and would hold value for the
scientific community. It is a rather complex design and collaborating with companies is undeniable resulting in more future-
related experience for the Air Thief’s members.

CanSat description
Mission overview

We are planning on designing and building a CanSat satellite that will be later launched 2km above the ground or dropped
from around 500m by a drone that is able to carry up to 10 satellites. The CanSat will descend at a speed of around 7m/s.
We will be using a parachute to slow down the fall of our CanSat to prevent it from falling out of the competition’s set
boundary. To accomplish the primary mission, we will be using a pressure and temperature sensor to measure the
temperature and pressure at this altitude.

Our secondary mission’s main goal is to collect, filter through, and then determine if viruses are present in our sample. To do
this, we will use an air pump to collect an air sample during the flight of the satellite. This air will then be pumped into a
sterile container, which will be filtered through three air filters so that we can separate the viruses from other unwanted
particles such as bacteria and dust. Although hard, we are developing and designing techniques which would allow us to
get the sample completely sterile. After we retrieve the satellite, we are planning on detecting the viruses using flow
cytometry. We also considered using the PCR method and the use of a fluorescent microscope, however, this proved
insufficient and too costly, as our goal is to prove that viruses are present in our sample, not identify them.

We also made sure that the mission concept is compatible both with Polish and European CanSat competition guidelines.
As this year the European final will take place without student on site, and SD cards with recorded data will be mailed back,
we reached out to ESA to verify if the same could be done with a sterile sample container we plan to include in our mission.
The reply was positive11 and a special exception will be made for us, if we get to the finals, due to great scientific merit of
the proposed mission.

10
Research Paper about Phosphine in the cloud decks of Venus.
11
Screenshot of mail from ESA.

5
Mechanical & structural design

Our main core of the satellite will be designed using AutoCAD software – Fusion 360. This program will allow us to create a
precise 3D-model that will fit all components in the most efficient way regarding the space covered. We decided to
collaborate with Cubic Inch12 to use their expertise and technologically advanced tools to print our main core of the satellite.
This company uses the Multi Jet Fusion technology provided by HP.

This is crucial for our project because this technology allows the printer
to create solid parts that are very precise in shape up to 0.3mm. The
materials used by such a printer is the Polyamide PA12 which is a strong
and durable material, therefore our satellite and its components will be
protected in the case of hitting the ground during the fall. The use of this
collaboration can be explained as well by stating that its work surface
is 380x280x380mm, which enables us to print our model without the
need of attaching additional parts to it via other materials. Cubic Inch
agreed to support us in this project by sharing their knowledge with us
and they vouched that our project and all prototypes will be printed at
their cost.

More detailed renders can be found by clicking on the preview above. This is a mockup 3D model to show that all
components fit into the structure. Please note that the system of sample collection is connected to the pump via a pipe –
not visible on renders. Additionally, the mechanism will consist of a set of F9 and HEPA filters.

Electrical design
General Architecture

Our CanSat is made up of a couple specific components, each has its one role in the mission. The main controller board is
the brain of the operation; it will be used for measuring the primary and controlling the secondary mission. The core of our
primary mission will be an ADAFRUIT temperature and pressure sensor, which will record the data every second to give us
an accurate depiction of the attitude that the CanSat is at. The core of our secondary mission will be the NW Air Pump
which will be used to push air from a high altitude through a filter. To power the NW Air Pump with 6V and 400 mA current
a step down converter (D24V5F6) will be used to change the battery voltage of 11.1 V, also a second step down converter
(D24V10F5) will be used to power the main controller with 5V and 700 mA. To power the CanSat a lithium-ion 750 mAh 3x
battery will be used and the voltage will be stepped down for the other components. To turn on the pump a relay will be
used for safety in case of a short in the motor the motherboard will not be damaged. It is very important for our secondary
mission that the CanSat will be found due to the physical sample that we need to analyze in a lab, therefore a GPS module
will be used to determine the coordinates of the CanSat and these will be sent to the ground station. To help with finding
the CanSat after landing an 80dB buzzer will be used, if the CanSat is hard to find visibly it can be also found using sound.

12
Letter of Intent from Cubic Inch.

6
Primary mission devices

The primary mission is a part of the criteria that is obligatory for each CanSat; this is the task of recording pressure and
temperature. We will be using an Adafruit pressure and temperature sensor to measure the parameters with a set interval
of one second, and the measurement will be taken by a Raspberry PI Zero micro controller. The data will be transmitted
through a radio connection made between the CanSat and a ground station. It is important to realize that the sensor needs
to be placed in the correct spot for the pressure and temperature measurements to be correct, due to the heat emission
from the electronics it needs to be isolated and a certain amount of air flow needs to be available for the sensor to reliably
measure the temperature across the altitude. Therefore, the sensor needs to have line of sight out of the CanSat and have
separation between the other electronics for example Styrofoam which is a great insulator.

Secondary mission devices

The secondary mission will be conducted using almost all electrical components. The electric air pump is connected to a
power converter (thru a relay) that drops the voltage from 11.1V to 6V due to the requirements of the motor, the Raspberry
Pi Zero controls the air pump by the use of a relay that will protect the motherboard in case of a short in the motor, the
relay has a 12 A max current therefore the over current regulation of the power converter should shut down the motor.

The main controller will be powered by a converter that steps down the voltage from 11.1V to 5V due to the Raspberry PI
Zero requirements, this stepped down voltage will also be used for the AdaFruit sensor that will measure the height at which
the CanSat at the moment in time, this will be used to turn off the air pump at a certain height.

There are no real parameters or measurements made by the electronics; the focus of the secondary mission will be to collect
a sample of the cloud Virome and bring it to the ground for testing.

Power supply

The power supply will be constructed of 3 lithium-ion batteries in series to step up the voltage to 11.1V and a total capacity
of 2250mAh. Each of the batteries will have a voltage of 3.7V and a capacity of 750 mAh. From the calculations given the
lifespan of our can sat would reach almost 10 hours, this comes to show that it can withstand the long waiting time for
launch and the recovery of the satellite.

Secondary mission power Consumption while in Consumption during Consumption during flight:
consumption: standby for launch: recovery:
Ah = h × A
Ah = h × A Ah ÷ A = h Ah ÷ A = h
u = 0.089h × 0.92A
u = 0.017h × 1.32A 2.141 Ah ÷ 0.215 = 9.96 h (2.25 - (0.02 + 0.089)) ÷ 0.215
= 9.96 h u = 0.082 Ah
u = 0.02 Ah

Power consumption budget:

Component Consumption during Consumption Consumption during Consumptions while in

secondary mission During flight recovery of the satellite standby for launch
~60 sec ~5 min 21 sec u > 6h
Raspberry PI 700 mA 700 mA 80mA 80mA
Air pump 400 mA 0 0 0
Converter 1 40 mA 0 0 0
Converter 2 40 mA 40 mA 40 mA 40 mA
AdaFruit No data No data No data No data
Relay 0 No data 0 0
Radio 130 mA 130 mA 95 mA 95 mA
GPS 50 mA 50 mA 0 0
Total 1.320A 920 mA 215 mA 215 mA
Total 0.02Ah 0.082 Ah 2.141 Ah 2.141 Ah
Work Duration 1 min 5 min 21 sec 9.96 h

Communication system

The communication between the CanSat and the ground station will be one directional (ground station as a receiving factor),
as there is no need to communicate with the CanSat. It will be programmed to send its location, as well as notify us if
everything regarding the secondary mission went according to plan.

7
For this purpose, a monopole antenna will be mounted on the CanSat with a length of 18 cm to send radio signals with its
location and primary mission data. The ground station will be using a Crossed YAGI antenna to receive the signal and save
it on the computer. The receiver and transmitter that we will be using are the RMF95. The proper antennas that we will use
were picked with the help from the company Thorium Space represented by: Seweryn Ścibior, Przemysław Radzik and
Marcin Niewiarowski13. Furthermore, the people who we cooperated with helped us with calculations of the distance that
the receiver can reach. An online site called the link budget calculator was used to calculate the distance that the satellite
can send data to the ground station. The parameters required for this operation are the distance, the frequency, the gain of
the transmitting antenna and the gain of the receiving antenna. The minimal height that the CanSat can communicate with
the ground station is directly dependent with the line of sight. If there are no obstructions in the line of sight, the range is
good up to 15 km.

Software design

The primary onboard computing unit for our CanSat is a Raspberry PI Zero that supports
Python. It is going to run all the programs necessary for the functioning of the CanSat and
all onboard equipment and experiments.

The flight plan for individual atmospheric Virome soundings can be fine-tuned, which is
helpful. The data will be recorded to a micro SD card, which will probably have such high
storage capacity that it will be virtually infinite for our purposes (16 GB, around 30 zloty).

The program is going to have 3 main modes, controlled based on the current altitude
measured by the temperature-pressure sensor. This is going to ensure the correct data is
always transmitted and minimum power is consumed. If the AdaFruit sensor detects an
anomalous result, the mode will have a 3 second switch cooldown so that it is not turned
on preemptively. Our reasoning is that since the primary mission is so important, relying on
it for data is quite sensible.

Standby – When the satellite is waiting on the launchpad and when it has landed post-
experiment are similar flight conditions and require a similar approach. Thus, Standby
mode is active when the CanSat elevation reported via the AdaFruit array is less than 100
meters AGL. During this mode, the CanSat is only running the first experiment, sampling
the ambient temperature and pressure, and computing the altitude at regular 10 second
intervals, ready to switch into active state when the altitude goes beyond 100 meters. (It is
possible the GPS sporadically turns on to self-validate the readings of the AdaFruit.)

Active – When the satellite is in flight, above 100 meters AGL, it constantly calculates its position and AGL via the GPS and
AdaFruit sensors. These parameters are then transmitted to the ground station, so that a flight profile can be determined. If
the altitude were to increase or decrease, Sampling or Standby modes would be engaged, respectively. (Additionally, during
this time, the hygrometer reading is performed sporadically.)

Sampling – The pump powering the secondary experiment is enabled. It runs constantly until either the total runtime
requirement is satisfied (so as not to overshoot) or until the CanSat goes below 80% of the mission altitude (2 km for a 2.5
km mission, for instance, this is configured pre-launch). That way the sample is collected from the correct experimental band
that was being sampled (for instance one that has a height of 0.5 km). During Sampling, the Active activities are also
conducted. Additional hygrometer readings are performed to determine the validity of our research (sample viability). If the
sampling altitude is passed and the CanSat begins heading down again, Active, and then finally Standby modes are
engaged.

The data recorded via the SD card, and the outgoing transmissions sent out via radio will have a specific format that will
minimize their size, enabling higher efficiency. The ground station program is coded in JS for the frontend, and in Python3
for the backend.

Recovery system

The recovery system that will be used for the CanSat is a simple parachute like the one in the demo CanSat. It will have a
hole in the middle of it to help with stabilization issues. The speed of the fall in our case is crucial due to the sample we are
collecting in the clouds. It needs to be slow enough so that the CanSat has time to collect the sample, and fast enough so it
does not fall too far from the launch site due to the increasing risk of not being able to find it. From our calculations, we are
estimating that the speed will be around 7m/s.

13
Letter of Intent from Thorium

8
The parachute is still in the design phase – the material used for the parachute needs to be strong and light so something
like a Kevlar would be a good choice, or a strong fabric.

The suspension lines that will be connected to the parachute will need to have a length of more than 18 cm to be able to
connect the monopole antenna to them. The hole in the top of the parachute can and will be calculated with a program,
same goes for the area of the parachute.

The size of the parachute was calculated with the maximum weight and a falling speed of 7 m × s-1 which gives us 1729 cm2,
which was calculated using the formula:

s = (2 × m × g) ÷ (v2 × c × d)

Furthermore, another part of the recovery system is the audio and radio
signals sent out by our CanSat after landing on the ground; it is important to
note that the monopole antenna will be unable to send a signal if it lands in a
certain position, therefore the most recent GPS coordinates sent by the
satellite during the fall will be relied on for finding it.

Also, the CanSat will beep at a constant rate with a sound about 80 dB, which
can be heard for around 50 m if there are no obstructions. This sound will be
produced by a beeper. Moreover, the CanSat cover and parachute will be
painted in a bright color, such as red, to help with finding the satellite.

For now, we are thinking about using the Rocket-model Klima GmbH 55 cm,
as it fits our requirements for a light parachute. It has an area of about 2376
cm2. To compensate for the area as well as a lack of a hole, we will cut out a
hole in the middle of our parachute.

Ground support Equipment

The POCU handles only basic data
processing, handling & categorizing.
Additionally, there is more data sent
out via Radio than is saved to the
SD card (since the ICAR pings and
other health information are only
saved on the ground station).

The ground station is composed of

these important things:

Laptop running the backend and frontend for the communication with the satellite. The frontend handles the
display of data on screen and the issuing of commands to the CanSat, and the backend communicates directly
and writes to files, etc. The frontend is written in JS. The backend works in Python3.
A YAGI directional antenna that will send and receive data from the CanSat. It is connected to the Laptop.
A power supply for the laptop and the antenna. This is a backup, as there is most likely mains power in situ at the
launch site.
A port-a-nanolab with materials applicable for the final selected procedure, that is Flow Cytometry:
1. Lab safety equipment (coat, glasses, gloves)
2. Portable flow virocytometer from Adamed14
3. Cytometry prep kit
Alternative support equipment that we considered to conduct the analysis of the viruses (provided by Adamed)
that might be used as a backup form of conducting the analysis:
1. PCR ThermoCycler with master mix, primers, etc. for Virus DNA amplification
2. Electrophoresis equipment for DNA electrophoresis post-PCR
3. SYBR Green Dye dispenser, plus other dyes and chemicals needed for the procedure
4. Viral genome extraction equipment
5. UV-Vis spectrophotometer for virus quantification
6. Lab-grade Fluorescent Microscope
7. Accurate scale and other basic measurement equipment

14
Letter of Intent from Adamed

9
Test campaign
Primary mission tests

We will take a measurement of the temperature and pressure on the ground using our apparatus, as well as a thermometer
and barometer. We will be regulating the temperature and pressure in controlled conditions and observing the differences
in our results. If any consistent uncertainties arise, we will have to look for the errors causing them and potentially adjust our
apparatus. For example, we will decrease the temperature of the room using AC until the thermometer shows 1℃ change
and compare the results from our apparatus. We will do the same by increasing the room temperature to 1℃ and check our
sensor’s results. We will do the same for pressure, inserting our sensor into an environment where we are able to control
pressure. We will create positive pressure in the environment to +1kPa and compare the results of the barometer with our
sensor’s. The same will be done with negative pressure. If our measurements correspond with each other, we take our testing
to the next step, which will be flying our apparatus 1km above the ground with the use of a drone. This data will be
transmitted through a radio signal coming from a transmitter to the ground, which will allow us to view it in real-time. If our
results are adequate, we will proceed to use this method. We would be able to calculate the approximate temperature and
pressure at our designated altitude by using the functions:

T = Ta - 0.0065 × (h - ha)

where T is temperature, Ta is temperature at base altitude, h is height, ha is height at base altitude,

P = P0 × (1 - (0.0065h / (T + 0.0065h + 273.15)) × 5.257

where P is pressure and P0 is pressure at base altitude.

Secondary mission tests

The secondary mission for our CanSat is the collection of airborne viral biomaterial from an
altitude of 1 km above ground. This will be done using a system composed of two filters, one
to capture the viruses and another to prevent contamination by larger molecules containing
genetic material and unnecessary contaminants. Air will be forced through the filters by a
vacuum pump. This system is being tested by simply creating a prototype device and running
it for a long duration at ground level. Currently we have created a simple prototype of the
device using F9 and HEPA12 grade filters, printing paper, strong plumbing tape and aluminum
foil wrap on the outside to prevent early contamination. The pump used in our prototype is
weaker than the one we are planning on using; however, it is still capable of forcing the air
through the system without any problems. We believe this device to be functional so far based
on this prototyping. Additionally, eventually, the material captured on the HEPA filter will be
analyzed by us, using laboratory equipment from Adamed15. We will do this by using a flow
virocytometer that is able to detect individual viral particles in the solution. By running this
experiment we can fine-tune our procedure, however we assume that the bottom air filter will
succeed in capturing enough viral material (Reche et al. 2018). If due to Covid-19 restrictions
this turns out to be impossible, the upper air filter will at least be checked for the presence of
bacteria and other microorganisms by using a standard optical microscope (which we have at
home), and possibly also on an agar plate. Alternatively, virus presence can be determined by
using a plaque assay.

Tests of recovery system

Testing of our recovery system will be conducted throughout two different experiments. The first one will be throwing our
CanSat from our school building to calculate the speed of the falling satellite. A second test will be conducted with a drone,
to test the reliability of the parachute from a higher altitude, as well as to test different techniques of how to fold the
parachute in case it will be thrown out of the drone. Furthermore the GPS and antenna will be range tested with the use of
the drone – it will fly at set distances and heights and the data will be transmitted between the ground station and the
satellite in real-time to ensure the reliability of the satellite. Also, it is important to note that the recovery system needs to
be able to withstand the acceleration created by the rocket during the propulsion stage. This is hard to test in real life, as
the acceleration created by such a rocket can be over 6G, which is very hard to recreate, therefore the best way to do it is
to use a design software that has an option of stress test of parts. This still would not be entirely accurate; however, it would
give us an idea of how strong we should make it.

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Letter of Intent from Adamed

10
Communication system range tests

The communication system range test will also be conducted with the use of a drone. We will test the range at different
heights and distances – the CanSat satellite will be suspended using a string from the drone to decrease the electrical
interference from the motors. We will then use the drone to fly to different distances at different heights, also the test will
be conducted in harsh conditions in dense forest to simulate the situation at the test site. This will help us determine if we
should increase the range, so that we can increase the probability of finding the CanSat. It is especially important to find it
due to the sample on board that needs to be recovered and tested in the lab.

Energy budget tests

The energy budget test has not been conducted yet due to the lack of components that will be used in the CanSat.
Furthermore, the test is crucial to ensure that the predicted battery life time is true; this will ensure that the CanSat can send
radio and sound signals for multiple hours after landing to ensure that it is found and the sample taken is retrieved. We are
also going to test the temperature of the CanSat in different temperatures to ensure that it will not overheat. The calculation
for time the CanSat can withstand with the current battery capacity is almost 10 h, so in this case it fully satisfies the 6 h
requirement of the regulations.

Project planning
Task Due Date
Filters ground pre-test 20-21.10.2020
Filters final ground test 12.2020
Finish Preliminary Research Paper Beginning of January 2021
Finishing touches to final research paper Near FDR
Creating Social Media 18.10.2020
PDR pre-design 18.10.2020
Dividing Writing Tasks Regarding PDR 17.10.2020
Verifying PDR elements 21.10.2020
Reaching out to companies
Presenting the project to possible investors soon
Buying and gathering products As fast as possible
Meeting with Thorium 16:00-18:00 22.10.2020
Establishing communication 25.10.2020
PDR submitting 27.10.2020
Prototyping the Satellite 10/11.2020
Designing the satellite in CAD 10/11.2020
Finishing touches to final (CDR) satellite structure design Mid 11.2020
CDR dividing writing tasks 19.11.2020
CDR pre-design 20.11.2020
Satellite structure check up End of 11.2020
Start of building the satellite End of 12.2020
Finishing touches to satellite 10.02.2021
Testing the collection method from the chamber Mid-February
Final Communication System Test Mid-February
Final Satellite Structure test Mid-February
Final Ground Segment Test Mid-February
Final Communication System Test Mid-February
Verifying CDR elements 07.01.2021
CDR submitting 15.01.2021
Exam Session 14-18.12.2020
Christmas Break 21.12-06.01.2021
CDR submitting 15.01.2021
Landing test Beginning of March
FDR dividing writing tasks 01.02.2021
FDR pre-design 01.02.2021
Verifying FDR elements 25.02.2021
FDR submitting 01.03.2021
Final satellite check-up 08.03.2020
Laboratory organization 03.2021
Launching the satellite March 2021
Sample collection and analysis End of March 2021
Results April 2021

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Task list

State High Level Task -

- - Lower Level Task State*

In Progress Writing PDR Overall design Done

Dividing work Done

Checking Specific Parts In Progress

Submitting PDR In Progress

In progress Writing Final Research Paper Overall design Done

Dividing work Done

Contacting Professors In Progress

Checking data In Progress

Checking Specific parts In Progress

Done Writing preliminary research paper - -

In Progress Filters Ground pre-test Choosing and buying filters Done

Assembling the filters In Progress

Collecting data In Progress

Investigating data In Progress

Comparing obtained data to theoretical data In Progress

In Progress Outreach Program Creating Instagram account Done

Creating Facebook account In Progress

Creating project’s website In Progress

Advertising project and companies In Progress

Creating brochures In Progress

In Progress Presenting the project to investors Creating a presentation Done

Writing a script Done

Q&A regarding the mission Partially done

First trial of presenting In Progress

In Progress Satellite Prototyping the satellite Done

Designing the satellite in CAD In Progress

Buying materials In Progress

Building the satellite’s skeletal In Progress

Printing the satellite’s frame In Progress

Assembling electronics In Progress

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 Programming the satellite In Progress

Designing the parachute In Progress

In Progress Ground tests Satellite’s test from a drone In Progress

Filters final test In Progress

Parachute’s test In Progress

Overall test In Progress

Checking the measurements In Progress

In Progress Writing CDR - -

In Progress Writing FDR - -
In Progress Gathering primary sensor data Choosing sensors Done?

testing temperature sensors In Progress

testing pressure sensors In Progress

In Progress Establishing communication Choosing radio module Done

Testing radio module In Progress

Choosing antenna design Done

Designing antenna In Progress

Testing antenna In Progress

In Progress Structuring clean chamber Making the inside of CanSat sterile In Progress

placing a sterile case inside CanSat In Progress

In Progress Collecting samples at ground level Preparing and analyzing viruses In Progress

Checking if method of collection is successful In Progress

Checking if method of separation is successful In Progress
In Progress Minimization of sample Reducing unsterile surface area of satellite In Progress
uncertainties
Calculating the possible number of viruses
commonly found near the ground
In Progress Locating the satellite choosing GPS module Done
choosing GPS antenna Done
testing GPS module and antenna In Progress
testing minimal height, accuracy, and In Progress
reliability of the GPS module
In Progress Landing of the satellite choosing a parachute In Progress
testing parachute’s durability, rate of fall and In Progress
ability to deploy reliably
testing the stability of CanSat’s base In Progress
In Progress Picking an onboard computer testing the onboard computer In Progress

In Progress Casing of the satellite choosing a material In Progress

testing the material’s durability in extreme In Progress
conditions
CAD model for casing In Progress

testing the casing In Progress

13
Resource estimation

Budget

Product Price Availability

Adafruit composite Altitude Pressure/Temperature sensor. 50.00zł -
NW Air Pump 3.2 l/min strong miniature vacuum pump 40.00zł -
Raspberry Pi Zero – input voltage 5V 59.90 zł -
Lithium-ion - 3.7 V 750 mAh 3x 13.79 zł -
Relay - coil 5V 12A 19.5 x 15.6 mm, height: 15.3 mm 03.70zł -
Converter 5V - Output 5V Input 6V - 42V max elec 600 mA 23.90 zł -
Converter 6V - output 6V input 6.1V - 36V max elec 0.5 A 19.90 zł -
Defro Air Filter precise F9 class 147.60zł Received
NanoProtect HEPA Filter 76.00 zł Received
YAGI Antenna 177.00 € -
Buzzer 11.50 zł -
GPS - input 5V/50mA 44.80 zł -
Total onboard CanSat 491.10 zł -

External support

We have contacted an overall of 58 companies from around the World. The companies were mainly from Belgium, Poland,
USA and Switzerland, France and three other countries. Until the 21st of October 2020 we have received a positive response
from 4 companies: Adamed, Thorium Space Technology16, Cubic Inch and Cloud Ferro. All the companies agreed on
collaborative work with the Air Thief Team and provided a letter of intent. The focus of our partnership is substantial and
material support with a potential to further develop into financial support as the project proceeds successfully.

Adamed agreed upon helping us with the ground segment of our mission including the provision of specialized equipment,
private workshops, and a letter of intent together with an acceptance of our analysis. Thorium Space Technology gave us a
helping hand regarding our satellite communication system and officially approved of our telemetry system. There is a
possibility of receiving financial support if the mission turns out to be positively influencing the space exploration and
aerospace engineering fields. Cubic Inch has confirmed the collaboration with our team regarding using 3D technology to
improve the overall design and functioning of the satellite. Cloud Ferro has proposed to support the team substantively
mostly by giving us access to CREODIAS and the possibility to work with the company's specialized teams. Finally, we have
received an official acceptance letter of the methodology used in quantifying cloud Virome from dr. Rafał Mostowy.

Our team has also received two negative responses from Planet Partners and Blue Dot Solutions. Planet Partners has already
started working on the ECR project therefore is unable to support our mission. Blue Dot Solutions does not have enough
budget and personnel to take on a new project. The team is still awaiting responses from the remaining 51 companies.

Outreach program
Our way of reaching out to potential investors and supporters of the project is mostly by direct interaction with them, such
as via email, phone calls as well as social media. In the future we are planning on sending out brochures and taking part in
a radio interview, writing articles in local science journals and presenting our obtained data at school or local events either
held by school or any of our promising investors.

We believe that the educational value of our mission is important for every demographic, therefore our project will be shared
on an open source platform, giving an insight on our achievements to outsiders interested in the mission. Furthermore, we
are planning on conducting numerous webinars regarding the organization of such a project and how to execute it.

Additionally, we are planning on creating short instructional videos covering the mechanical design of our satellite, which
we believe might be beneficial for students aspiring to participate in the CanSat competition or for anyone interested in
building their own satellite. Air Thief is also opened to giving lectures to younger students helping them to understand the
basics of building a satellite and conducting meaningful experiments.

We will challenge ourselves with publishing various articles both in science journals like the Journal of emerging
investigators and our schools newspaper. Moreover, the team will organize multiple experiment exhibitions either online or
stationary to promote interest among young minds. We are aiming to advertise our project in the Copernicus Festival: ‘Czas’
magazine, because we think that they have an audience that could be fascinated with our research.

16
Letter of Intent from Thorium

14
Our team has already contacted many companies and is planning to take part in various school events soon to expand the
horizons of the young and ambitious students. We believe that sharing our progress with the world is meaningful and can
inspire Many to conduct similar experiments. On the other hand, publishing articles requires results, therefore, as our mission
proceeds, we will take on the task as soon as we obtain valid and relevant data.

Other actions:

Instagram: airthief_cansat
Facebook: airthief.cansat
Radio interview
Brochure emailed and posted around
Presentations given by the team members, e.g. at the school or a local event
Publishing an article in AHS’s newspaper
Designing logo
Exhibitions of the experiment, e.g. at a fair or school open day
Website: (not done yet)

15