I've been making slow and steady progress on the balloon's firmware. Since the microcontrollers on my PCB are throwing a tantrum and not letting me program them in-system I've been using an STK600 and an ATMega64 to do my development. The real balloon will be using an ATMega128, so the Mega64 I'm using for development should keep me well under the memory size for the real balloon. I currently have the diagnostic and startup functions coded. When the balloon starts up both microcontrollers will boot to a configuration menu. The menu will allow the operator to use a laptop and a terminal program to exercise each of the balloon's functions. There's an option in the menu to start the flight program and data logging functions for the real flight. All that's left is to write the data logging, flight routines (things like cutting off the balloon after it bursts and deploying the parachute at the right altitude), and assembling the hardware components together.
To keep me inspired I've been watching some scientific and creative TV shows from Netflix. I've just found a fantastic show that aired on PBS in 2002. The show is called Rough Science. It's a mix of Mythbuster's type challenges and MacGuyver type science. It has really inspired me and shown how fun science can be. The first season the team used basic chemistry, botany, physics, and very simple tools to collect gold and smelt it into jewelry! The second season, which I'm currently watching, is all about space as simulated in Death Valley. If you want to recapture the excitement of high school science experiments without all the work and weird teacher guys, you need to watch this show!
Hopefully next time I'll post up some code...that is if I have more to show you than some terminal output. See you next time space cowboys! *cue banjo music and gun shots*
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