Observatory Automation

Transcription

1 Observatory Automation Project Plan Project ongo02e February 12, 2001 Client: ISU Physics Department Advisor: Dr. J. Basart Team Members: Shahril Abdullah Justin Doyle Derek Halverson Jeff Rastrelli Rob Walstrom Tai Ward Nick Williams Fook-KeongYap

2 Table of Contents Abstract...1 Acknowledgements...1 Definition of Terms...1 Introduction...1 Design Requirements...4 End-Product Description...6 Approach and Design...7 Financial Budget...9 Personnel Effort Budget...10 Project Schedule...10 Project Team Information...12 Summary...13 i

3 Figures Gantt chart...11 ii

4 Tables Financial Budget...9 Personnel Effort Budget...10 iii

5 Abstract The primary goal for this project is the automation of the Fick Observatory in Boone, Iowa, allowing for remote operation of the facilities. Problems to be dealt with include controlling the telescope, operating the CCD camera and a minimum of three NTSC video feeds, installing a weather station, and operating the retractable roof. As many of these as possible will be handled by one or more networked computers that will be accessible from Ames via the Internet. The end result will be a fully automated system in which the user is granted complete control either locally or remotely, of all of the observatory s systems. Acknowledgements The team would like to thank Joe Eitter for his assistance in familiarizing the team with the current operations of the telescope facility. The team would also like to thank the ISU Physics department for providing the needed funding and equipment. Last but not least, the team appreciates the enthusiastic and encouraging efforts of faculty advisor Dr. J. Basart. Definition of Terms HVAC - Heating ventilation and air conditioning CCD - Charge coupled device, which is the technology on which the digitizing camera is based NTSC - National television standards committee, which is a popular video format standard Introduction General Background The Fick Observatory in Boone, Iowa is operated by the Iowa State University s Department of Physics & Astronomy. The driving distance from Ames is nearly 30 miles, which limits usability of the telescope. The automation of the observatory will make it possible for a remote user on campus to control the equipment via the Internet. This requires computer systems to control each of the individual components related to the overall operation, such as positioning and focusing the telescope, operating the retractable roof, capturing images, and gathering current weather data. Additional computers will be accessible via the 1

6 main computer, to allow the operation of the entire observatory from one station, either locally or remotely. Technical Problem Problems include networking computers running different operating systems, developing software to control the telescope and other hardware, and designing hardware to operate mechanical systems from the main computer. The methods of communication for each of the devices must be examined, and reimplemented in a common platform for assimilation into the new system. The master computer will be able to control all of the subsystems directly or through a second computer, and can be operated at the observatory or from Ames via the Internet. The main controller computer will run Red Hat Linux and the second computer will likely run Windows. Some of the hardware to be developed includes a parallel port-based switch to control the three NTSC video feeds and the installation of actuators to interface the existing controls with the computer. Operating Environment Most of the updated system shall be designed to function in the environment in which the existing system currently operates. Additions to the system will include components mounted externally to the structure, which must endure temperature extremes and harsh weather conditions. The weather station used to check current weather conditions must be reliable in all sorts of conditions in order to prevent damage to the telescope. Intended Users and Uses The user base will remain unchanged from the current one, as remote operation of the observatory will require knowledge of the existing equipment. Currently, the observatory is only accessible to qualified and authorized users. These users will also be the only ones granted access to the system remotely. Existing features will be enhanced by the automated interface, slightly expanding uses and usability of the entire system. 2

7 Assumptions The system will be designed to take advantage of a high-speed Internet connection. Currently, the Physics department is considering a DSL or wireless broadband connection. It is assumed that only a single user will be able to access the system at a time. Safeguards will be implemented to prevent multiple users from attempting to control the system simultaneously. It is assumed that a limited budget exists. The end product must be secure from attacks via the Internet. It is assumed that the necessary system components will be powered up and ready for use prior to being accessed remotely. Limitations The speed of the Internet access determines how usable the remote access to the observatory will be. Controlling the roof and moving the telescope remotely are examples of operations that are in critical need of accurate visual feedback with minimal delay to be used safely. The number of cameras that may be controlled by the main computer is dependent upon the number of parallel and serial ports that are available. The telescope may only be operated on nights with favorable weather conditions and a clear sky. The roof is currently operated by a manual hydraulic system. There are two speeds at which the roof may be opened or closed. The team may only access the observatory when accompanied by an authorized observatory user. 3

8 Design Requirements Design Objectives Set up a central computer within the observatory. This main computer will control the secondary computers and provide Internet access to any other local computer systems. Update and consolidate existing components controlling hardware and software. The current computers will be updated so that each computer will be able to control more devices. This will reduce the number of computers in the control center, and increase the effectiveness of each computer. Design the system for expandability. The system will need to be flexible in order to easily integrate new devices or software. This includes the addition of more computers onto the network, operating system and application software upgrades, and new components added to the observatory. Set up system to monitor and adjust HVAC system to maintain a stable internal environment. This system will regulate the environment in which the sensitive components of the observatory are located. The HVAC system is currently manually adjusted. Temperature sensors shall be added, and the controls automated, so that the control room temperature remains within a range of 50 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Install sensors to monitor the position of the roof. Such devices will assist the controlling computers in opening and closing the retractable roof and also prevent repositioning of the telescope when the roof is closed or only partially open. Functional Requirements Operate retractable roof controls. The system shall roll back the roof when the telescope is to be operated. Operate CCD camera. The system shall control the telescope-mounted camera, digitizing images seen by the telescope and passing them to the computer. 4

9 Control video camera feeds. The system shall manage the video feeds from each of the NTSC cameras, allowing a specific digitized video image to be displayed either locally or remotely. Ensure stability of computers. The system shall monitor each computer and recover quickly in the event of a software crash. Operate the telescope by computer. The system will maneuver the telescope using a serial connection. Operate the system remotely. The system shall perform all of the functions through a secure Internet connection. Design Constraints Inaccurate budget. As with any ongoing project, the cost for completion of the project is initially estimated. As the project progresses, the budget will need to be reassessed and possibly revised for a more accurate cost estimate. Time. Proper scheduling is essential to the success of the project. Also, interaction time between the team and the observatory equipment is limited. Although this is an ongoing project, each team member is limited to two semesters. When new team members are added, time is required to educate the new members on the project and its objectives. Lack of machining support. Some parts of the components will need to be machined in order to function in their specific applications. This service was previously by the Physics Department, but is no longer available due to budget cuts. Therefore, it is necessary to find a different source that will be able to provide this service. Lack of space. Limited control room space is available for setting up additional equipment. More space might be needed as the project continues to expand to allow the integration of newer and more technologically advanced components. External weather conditions. Weather conditions will always be one of the most important factors in determining the operation of the telescope. Adverse weather conditions will limit the ability to test the system. Interfacing difficulties with current equipment. Much of the existing equipment needs to be upgraded or modified before it can be 5

10 incorporated into the remotely controlled system. The hydraulically controlled roof will need to be fitted with electronic actuators before it can be operable by any type of computer system. The team is restricted to using this existing equipment, as replacing it would be cost prohibitive. Measurable Milestones Network. An Ethernet network and controlling computer will connect all other systems and allow them to be accessed via the Internet. 100% of all computers that need to use the network will be provided with network connectivity. Roof control. The hydraulic roof control system will be upgraded to allow it to be controlled remotely. The system should be able to close the roof within 1 inch of the current manual stopping point. Telescope control. Software will be written to control telescope from the main computer. Although it will be necessary to rewrite most of the existing software, 100% of current functionality should be maintained in the new system. Video feeds. This system will allow images from several video cameras to be digitized and accessed by a remote user. These real-time images will allow the remote user to visually inspect equipment and assess weather conditions. The system will use images of 320x240 resolutions that update at least once per second. End Product Description The goal of this project is to provide complete remote control over all equipment necessary to operate the observatory telescope while not sacrificing the usability of any on-site controls. The desirable outcome of the project will be the ability to access and operate the telescope and its components via the Internet, thus eliminating need to travel to the observatory site and dramatically increasing the usability of the observatory. 6

11 Approach and Design Technical Approaches In-depth research will be done prior to delving into any single aspect of this project. It is imperative that any added components or system alterations be completely functional, reliable, low maintenance, and have a long life cycle. The actuators for the roof controls must be strong enough to operate the controls. They must also be strategically mounted so that they do not interfere with other systems. They must also be easily defeated for manual operation of the levers in case of a malfunction. The telescope controls must be made available via the Internet without sacrificing on-site features. Currently, the scope is controlled through both a Windows and a DOS environment. Functionality that is available only through the DOS interface must be made available through the Windows interface, to prevent loss of functionality. A video switch will be designed and constructed to allow the separate video signals to feed into a single digitizer. The switch must be constructed for several video feeds, as more cameras may be added periodically. Technical Design The team will need to come up with solutions and plans for implementing several of the desired features. The main ones include hardware and software design for the roof control, telescope control, video cameras, weather station, an Ethernet network, and gateway machine. Much additional and ongoing research must be done before specific design aspects can be further summarized. Testing Description In testing the designs and implementations, the individual modules will be tested at different stages in development to assure the proper functionality of the end equipment. This will ease further development and prevent surprises. 7

12 The retractable roof will be tested from the main controller computer. It must be fully operable, and must not operate past its physical constraints, causing damage. Testing remote controllability of the roof through its entire range of motion will in turn verify the functionality of each of the individual limit switches. The telescope will be tested through its entire range of motion from the controlling computer. Its functions will also be fully verified. The end product will guaranty that all telescope functions can be accessed remotely, without possible damage to the telescope components. The cameras must be tested and fine-tuned for functionality and placement. The video switch must also be sequenced through from the main controller to guarantee full compatibility with the system. Risks and Risk Management Since this is a relatively new ongoing project, not very much information or documented is available to help expedite the project. One of the most important resources is the access to the observatory, which depends on Joe Eitter s availability. Joe s availability and expertise is vital to the project, as he has done much of his own research on the subject. Proper scheduling and good communication with Joe will greatly increase the likelihood of a successful project. All currently existing hardware must continue to function reliably to ensure the stability of the would-be implemented and/or integrated components. Specifically, failure of the hydraulic system operating the retractable roof would require a complete electrical redesign of that system, which would be cost prohibitive and severely delay any additional work on the project. Continuous inspections and scheduled maintenance of the existing equipment should greatly decrease the possibility of such an event. 8

13 Financial Budget The ISU Physics Department will provide the necessary funds for parts and machining. Due to current market conditions, any machining may need to be delayed and/or outsourced. Equipment and parts costs will include the purchasing of various electronic switches and sensors, as well as minimal computer hardware, mostly consisting of a watchdog timer, Ethernet components, and parallel port expansion cards. Printing costs resulting from the poster design and production should not exceed $ Telephone and travel costs will include any long distance calls made to or from the observatory as well as the cost of fuel. Internet access may be provided through a wireless connection. The main computer has been donated this semester from the Radio Telescope team. For travel costs, the team will log the number of trips each member's vehicle has made and will divide the funds accordingly. Table 1 Estimated financial budget Item Original Estimated Cost Computer $500 Watchdog Timer $100 Parallel Ports $60 Weather Station $400 Printing $75 Printed Circuit board $300 Breadboard components $60 Switchbox $400 Miscellaneous Parts $75 Total Estimated Cost $1635 9

14 Personnel Effort Budget Each of the team members will be spending a considerable amount of time on this project. Some anticipated time consuming activities involve brainstorming, performing research, designing solutions, implementing solutions, testing solutions, and keeping accurate documentation for each step taken. Table 2 Personnel effort budget Personnel Shahril Abdullah Justin Doyle Derek Halverson Jeff Rastrelli Rob Walstrom Tai Ward Nick Williams Fook-Keong Yap Total Estimated Effort Original Estimated Effort 105 hours 105 hours 105 hours 105 hours 105 hours 105 hours 105 hours 105 hours 840 hours Project Schedule The schedule is tentative for such an ongoing project, and will be revised as the semester progresses. As shown in the Gantt chart (Figure 1), the team intends to break into sub-groups, headed by different members, and accomplish several tasks this semester. Throughout the semester, the various groups will keep in high communication so the maximum amount of work can be done. 10

15 Figure 1 Gantt chart for Fall

16 Project Team Information Client: Iowa State University, Physics Department. Joe J. Eitter A320 Physics (515) Faculty advisor: Dr. John P. Basart 1028 Ash Ave. (515) , (515) Team members: Shahril Abdullah 118 N Hyland #8 (515) shahabd@iastate.edu CprE Derek Halverson 307 Lyon (515) dshal@iastate.edu CprE Rob Walstrom 2604 Aspen Rd. #8 (515) robw@iastate.edu CprE Nick Williams 324 Welch Ave #12 (515) nwilliam@iastate.edu EE Justin Doyle 232 South Walnut #9 (515) jdoyle@iastate.edu EE Jeff Rastrelli 3128 Hawthorn Ct (515) jrastrel@iastate.edu EE Tai Ward 218 Stanton Ave #5 (515) ward@iastate.edu CprE Fook-Keong Yap 225 N Hyland #1 (515) fookg@iastate.edu CprE 12

17 Summary The Observatory Automation project is very important to the Physics Department here at Iowa State University. It will provide a means of controlling most of the functions of the telescope from computers here on campus. Not only will it save people time and resources by not having to drive to Boone, it will also allow them to use the observatory equipment right from their offices so they can collect data and images directly to their own computers. The solution will simplify and expand operation of the observatory, add remote usability, and ensure the safety and longevity of the equipment. 13