Hello once again! As I mentioned earlier, my name is Loudon Doemland, and I am currently interning for Pinhead in 2023, representing Telluride, Colorado. This week, I had the opportunity to meet some of our fellow co-workers and establish better connections with them. Because of these new connections they gave me more opportunities to work in the lab and it was truly fascinating to engage in hands-on work within the lab.
At the beginning of the week, our primary objective was to finally complete the stencil by creating a model and determining the suitable material to use. The process of finding the right material proved to be quite challenging. My fellow intern, Baen, and I spent the majority of the first day researching materials that could be effectively laser engraved by a UV laser cutter. Online resources provided limited information on UV-compatible materials, as most companies tend to utilize different types of laser cutters. Additionally, finding the precise thickness required for the stencil further complicated our search. However, after discussing the matter with our mentor, we successfully identified the specific type of plastic needed, which was polyester.
This photo shows our final stencil fitting perfectly onto the cube-sat(small satellite).
On Tuesday, we placed an order for polyester, but unfortunately, the shipment of plastic was delayed by a week. With some spare time on our hands, we offered our assistance and were assigned additional tasks. One of the mechanical engineers in the office assigned us a seemingly simple project, which turned out to be more challenging than expected. We had to cut rigid plastic using X-Acto blades to achieve precise dimensions. These parts were intended for the telescope and required padding to prevent damage from contact with the metal frame. Throughout the entire day, we diligently worked on this project, resulting in blistered hands by the end.
The following morning, we delivered the initial set of eight pads to the mechanical engineer, only to discover that we needed to start over due to the pencil markings on the plastic. The rectangles located at the top represented the original eight pads that were unusable. We dedicated the morning to cutting a fresh set of pads, but the process was significantly faster as we had mastered the technique. Our mentor, Dmitry, had a series of meetings throughout the day, giving us a lengthy lunch break which we enjoyed a pleasant walk outside to a small sandwich shop. Upon returning from lunch, we focused on creating an important calendar to ensure everyone was aware of the upcoming deadlines.
Thursday and Friday were dedicated to working on a flat-sat, which involved creating a flat layout of the cube-sat. Our task involved using CAD software to accurately measure the dimensions of the instruments within the cube-sat. The purpose of this exercise was to create drill holes on a flat plate to accommodate the spare instruments. Flat-sats are instrumental in determining wiring configurations and the positioning of instruments in the actual cube-sat.
A replica of what the actual layout of the flat-sat will look like.
Measuring instruments accurately using CAD software.
For fun this week, we decided to take a trip down to Denver on Thursday to spend time with our friends who used to live in Telluride. During our visit, we had the opportunity to use his hockey shooting range and engage in numerous games of ping pong. Additionally, we made use of the recording studio available in our house, spending time with our roommates who are all part of a band. They have been teaching me how to play the guitar, which has been an enjoyable experience. We also embarked on a considerable journey to try out a new frisbee golf course, followed by a delightful dinner with my father and his friends in Arvada. Furthermore, I had the chance to play golf with my dad and visited the rec-center for a workout sessions and rock climbing. Overall, this second week turned out to be an absolute blast.
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