Mini Space Shuttle

Mini Shuttle smaller than the X37

BIG MACHINE BRAIN SUGGESTS MINI SPACE SHUTTLE CONSTRUCT

Overall design with cargo bay

Big enough to ferry an astronaut and supplies, small enough for space hoisting by private industry...

We're not sure why the electric machine Big Brain wants one of these. Perhaps it's to carry up a space telescope and parts, to study new machines in space, to assemble something, help save the Earth, rescue an astronaut, act as a life boat for the ISS Space Station, or make trips to the Moon.

The illustrative design is originally based on the X-37 from NASA and the recent X-37b from the USA Air Force. While the X37b is secretive, the proposed mini shuttle would operate for the Big Brain directive. The proposed MS would be substantially smaller than depicted here.

Of course the Experiment bay would be outfitted with astronaut seating, the control panel would be designed for a pilot, and supplies would stow under the seating.

Reentry with fire resistant fabric

The craft would have gliding capabilities during reentry and landing. The Mini Shuttle MS could visit space by riding in the cargo bay of larger rockets and return under its own capability.

Suggestions for enhancing the mini space shuttle craft include solar panels for extended stays in

Docking with the Space Station

space, small size for fit into rocket nose cone, light weight for minimal launch cost, hatch and payload bay doors for space walks/ mini satellite deployments/ observations with a space telescope and storage for extended stays in space (food, water, toilet packaging and ejection system) and air

Equipped for passengers

re-pressurization system for visiting and docking with other spacecraft, space stations, and space hotels.

Deploying solar panels

One design suggestion for the reusable space craft is a heat resistant replaceable fabric for fiery reentries into the Earth's atmosphere. Also the craft could orbit the Moon, observe through telescopes, and deploy tiny satellites and landers to the surface. The MS could also leave behind mini orbiters with capability of telescopes, radio transponders and relay stations.

Another design is for rescue. Maneuvering thrusters enable the craft to go to retrieve an astronaut flung out into space

One pilot

from the space station or other ship or retrieve an astronaut from an error in a space walk. In case of emergency, an astronaut from the space station could space walk to the mini shuttle and return to the Earth. The two passenger seats collapse flat to carry one injured or sick person. The craft could hold three, one of which is the pilot.

It's also determined the craft space could be configured the same size as a small Japanese or Chinese apartment with all spartan yet efficient amenities for longer stays living in space. The craft could also conduct limited space tours of orbital Earth and the Moon, plus offer spectacular sky views in space for not only tourism but scientific research.

Astronaut EVA out of the mini shuttle

LINKS
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2013/03/x-37b-expanded-capabilities-iss-missions/

Photo Credits: NASA,
iTunes APP Astronaut Spacewalk by Jorge Hernandez
https://itunes.apple.com/app/astronaut-spacewalk/id540221533?mt=8

Dream Chaser concept

Is the mini shuttle already built in the form of dream chaser? Read more at the links.

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2013/12/dream-chaser-ccdev-2-green-light-nasa/

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2012/08/dream-chaser-space-shuttles-legacy-advantage/

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2012/08/nasa-ccicap-funding-spacex-boeing-sncs-crew-vehicles/

It's possible to send up one astronaut specifically as a systems specialist to repair space equipment when a mini space shuttle is in operation. Astronaut Rick Mastracchio is shown space walking outside the ISS International Space Station. Credit: NASA

"Dream Chaser – which is a reusable lifting body vehicle based on the form of NASA Langley’s HL-20 spaceplane concept from the 1980s – can land on a conventional runway, unlike all of its capsule-based competitors. The plan is for Dream Chaser to land at the Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) at KSC." NASA

The Dream Chaser is a crewed suborbital and orbital^[7] vertical-takeoff, horizontal-landing (VTHL) lifting-body spaceplane being developed by Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) Space Systems. The Dream Chaser is designed to carry up to seven people to and from low Earth orbit. The vehicle would launch vertically on an Atlas V rocket and land horizontally on conventional runways. Wikipedia
^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dream_Chaser}

Mini Brain Cortex

MINI BRAIN CORTEX
The Mini Brain Cortex in a jar was in use for about a week, until it outgrew its 1 liter jar home. The Mini was more finicky, requiring a greater attention to charging and battery care due to its smaller AA cells battery pack which contained only two batteries. it paved the way for it's bigger 3-liter sibling with immortality. Throughout its life span, it served as a prototype model and test bed for the larger cortex with greater longevity. It included a 3-volt polycrystalline solar panel and eight core Parallax Propeller chip, recharging circuit and programs in Spin language. Unlike "Brain in a Jar" the Mini Brain Cortex was able to achieve great life spans due to its ability to recharge during the day and operate from batteries in the night. Ironically, it never achieved immortal status due to a major upgrade after one week.

— our project is to develop and demonstrate a machine brain transfer, in particular to accept some relatively simple characteristics of a human brain and transfer portions to that of a machine brain, whereby those characteristics could be given a life longevity far exceeding that of the original human, and perhaps establishing immortality —

Robot Explorer Log 8 Wireless Camera

The complete wireless camera system for Robot Explorer produces the first color image in this setup test at the lab. The completed system will contain the battery supply, camera and transmitter on the robot carriage. The TV and receiver will locate at the base tracking station. The tracking station will include channels for picture and telemetry, along with a sound channel. As seen clockwise, the TV, camera, 1.2 GHz transmitter, battery pack and 1.2 GHz receiver.

A WIRELESS CAMERA SYSTEM
FOR ROBOT EXPLORER - Log 8

Robot Explorer is a new space robot designed under the Big Brain Initiative at Humanoido Labs, to explore new worlds at the outer fringes of the solar system.

One of the most important parts of the robotics system is the wireless camera. The camera will transmit live images from the surface of the planet or moon on its own channel and allow humans to watch as the robot explores a new world.

OVERVIEW
It took three months to design and gather all the parts necessary to build the wireless camera system for the Robot Explorer prototype. This system sends a TV color image by a 1.2 GHz frequency signal up to a long range base station, located up to 1,000 meters (.63 mile) in distance. The signal reaches the receiver, is decoded into the A/V NTSC composite 1V pp format and is fed to the TV's A/V input jack.

Specification page for the SONY CCD

WIRELESS CAMERA SYSTEM
The system consists of a miniature camera, camera image transmitter, camera and transmitter battery power pack, receiver and TV monitor. The TV monitor and receiver are located at the tracking station and the other parts remain within the robot. The modules are made in Taiwan. The units are prewired at the store by the store owner. It's apparent, the harness combines the battery plug with both transmitter and camera. The store owner wired the battery pack, which was purchased from another store, and provided the required power barrel end plug. Purchasing the system at the A/V store provided extra service, i.e. the entire system was wired, set up and tested. The other benefit, this is a take home system with no waiting for shipment for an unknown "working or not working" package that would require some assembly.

POSITIONING
The camera, battery pack, and transmitter are located on the robot. The receiver and TV are located at the tracking and telemetry station.

PURCHASING
The system was purchased locally at the A/V parts store. The owner provided service for putting the system together and testing it. He also wired the battery pack (purchased from another store), provided the power barrel jack, and tested it at no additional charge. Information is gathered from the store owner and a variety of sources.

MEASURING THE TRANSMITTER
The camera 1.2 GHz transmitter was measured with a frequency meter and actual respective channel frequencies were 1080, 1120, 1160 and 1200 Mhz.

COST IN NT$
$1,700 for the camera
$1,200 for the camera transmitter
$1,000 for the receiver
$2,500 for the TV monitor
$432.0 for batteries
$30.00 for the battery holder

Showing the battery pack, CCD camera with adjustable lens and the 1.2GHz transmitter. This is a custom made cable to join the camera and transmitter to a 12-volt battery power suppy.

CAMERA
Image Sensor ⅓” Sony Super HAD CCD (Sony SS11)
Horizontal Resolution 420 TV lines
Medium Resolution
S/N Ratio more than 48dB (AGC off)
Auto backlight compensation
3.6mm Adjustable lens
LUX (.5 LUX @ f/1.2) Color
Effective Pixels NTSC 512(H) x 492(V)
Power Supply DC 12V
Power Draw @ 110 mA
Video Out 1Vp-p  75 ohm
Operating Temperature -10 deg. C to +55
Storage Temp -30 C to +60
Dimension 35mm x 35mm (less swivel base)
Weight 240g
Model (IAS-35XT42) Taiwan
http://www.intex.com.tw/detail.php?PID=52

TRANSMITTER
Frequency 1.2 Ghz (1200 Mhz)
Channels 4 (increments of 40)
Output Power 700mW
Range (1000m line of sight)
Battery 12 volt
Weight
Dimensions

The receiver is part of the base station that feeds live video transmitted from the camera. It feeds the 1.2 GHz signal into a converter resulting in A/V NTSC composite video out. It has a choice of 4 channels using one slide switch. The AV signal can be recorded on a VCR or camcorder with AV input record capability.

RECEIVER
Receiver TR-1500
Power 12Vdc
4 channels
CH1 = 910MHz, CH2 = 980MHz, CH3 = 1010MHz, CH4 = 1040MHz
AV Video Out NTSC 1V pp composite
1.2GHz
Video input : RCA*1 composite video 1 Vp-p, 75Ω
Video output : RCA*1 composite video 1 Vp-p, 75Ω
Audio output : RCA*1
Antenna : Dipole
Operation Temperature : -5degree to 45 degree
Operation Humidity 5% TO 85%
Dimensions : 130mm*80mm*23 mm (without antenna)
Weight : 263 g
Consumption : 12VDC 350mA
Connection : White - Audio, Yellow - Video 

CAVEAT
Even if the cable looks good with shrink wrap covering the connection, it's likely the two wires were only twisted together and not soldered. If an intermittent open connection occurs, it will not be surprising. Just strip the tubing and wiring, add new tubing, solder it together and shrink the tubing.

LINKS
http://www.dronesvision.net/en/wireless-av/44-racewood-900mhz-wireless-av-receiver-vrx-for-fpv-wireless-cctv-cameras-green-label.html

http://www.goodluckbuy.com/cctv-900tr-1500-0-9ghz-a-v-mini-receiver-box-manual-4ch.html

http://www.rc-cam.com/forum/index.php?/topic/3672-comtech-tuner-module-upgrade/

Propeller Mini Microcontroller

THE PROPELLER MINI
The Propeller Mini by Parallax is a tiny but powerful microcontroller computer with 8 cores and a very small footprint.

A tiny .81 x 1.52-inches

The current $24.99 cost is the same as a Proto Board, the lowest cost complete Propeller board offered by Parallax at this time. The footprint is about the same size as BASIC Stamp module.

The Propeller chip is the heart of the Big Brain Supercomputer at Humanoido Labs.

 




 













































FEATURES

• Propeller P8X32A-M44 multi-core microcontroller 
• 32KB EEPROM program storage 
• 5V 1A, 3.3V 400 mA regulators
• Removable 5 MHz crystal
• Access to 19 digital I/O
• 3.3 VDC regulated output @ 400 mA max
• 5 VDC regulated, 600 mA max
• Voltage requirement: Regulated 6.5–12 VDC though VIN
• Dimensions: 0.81 x 1.52 in (20.5 x 38.6 mm)
• Operating temp range: -40 to +185 °F (-40 to +85 °C)
•  Prop Plug #32201 is required for programming (not included)

Propeller Mini Product Guide v1.1 (.pdf)
Propeller Mini Schematic (.pdf)