Changes

The principal design featured four main components - a ''chamber'', ''portals'', ''blocks'', and ''retainer plates''. The chamber was the skeleton of the payload, essentially a rectangular box out of HDPU foam panels epoxied together. The most notable aspect was the rounded square holes on each wall of the payload -- these were called ''portals''. A chamber had six portal of a pre-determined shape and size. The modular hot-swap ''blocks'' had the corresponding HDPU rounded-square panel. This HDPU block may or may not have been further machined depending on its purpose -- for example, a block meant to house a GoPro in one wall of the payload would also have a machined GoPro cavity and through-hole for the lens. However, other blocks, like the SSI logo block or note block did not require this kind of HDPU machining. The HDPU block was then epoxied to a wooden outer retention plate (initially bass wood). This outer retention plate had four 1/4" holes. When slotted into the appropriate chamber portal, the block was clamped to the payload using an internal retention plate and nylon bolts. All HDPU was also painted black for heat absorption.  

The principal design featured four main components - a ''chamber'', ''portals'', ''blocks'', and ''retainer plates''. The chamber was the skeleton of the payload, essentially a rectangular box out of HDPU foam panels epoxied together. The most notable aspect was the rounded square holes on each wall of the payload -- these were called ''portals''. A chamber had six portal of a pre-determined shape and size. The modular hot-swap ''blocks'' had the corresponding HDPU rounded-square panel. This HDPU block may or may not have been further machined depending on its purpose -- for example, a block meant to house a GoPro in one wall of the payload would also have a machined GoPro cavity and through-hole for the lens. However, other blocks, like the SSI logo block or note block did not require this kind of HDPU machining. The HDPU block was then epoxied to a wooden outer retention plate (initially bass wood). This outer retention plate had four 1/4" holes. When slotted into the appropriate chamber portal, the block was clamped to the payload using an internal retention plate and nylon bolts. All HDPU was also painted black for heat absorption.  

SPACE Mk 1 flew on the first launch of 2015, housing SSI Gen 1 Avionics. It proved to be extremely thermally insulative (more than a styrofoam container) despite not being super air-tight, and allowed the modular swap of raspberry pi cameras, GoPros, logos, note blocks, and blank blocks. It's most profound drawback was its weight -- the total payload weighed in at around 2.5 kilograms. Unfortunately, SPACE Mk 1 flew on a balloon with a failed parachute deployment, resulting in a total loss of the enclosure. Luckily, it's destruction paved the way for a redesign.

SPACE Mk 1 flew on the first launch of 2015, housing SSI Gen 1 Avionics. It proved to be extremely thermally insulative (more than a styrofoam container) despite not being super air-tight, and allowed the modular swap of raspberry pi cameras, GoPros, logos, note blocks, and blank blocks. It's most profound drawback was its weight -- the total payload weighed in at around 2.5 kilograms. Unfortunately, SPACE Mk 1 flew on a balloon with a failed parachute deployment, resulting in a total loss of the enclosure. Luckily, it's destruction paved the way for a redesign.