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WORLD CLASS - through people, technology and dedication.

Seaglider Field Team Operations


Ø  Team Responsibilities

Ø  Vehicle and Equipment Assembly

Ø  Pre-Launch

Ø  Launch and Recovery

Ø  Disassembling, Cleaning, and Packing the glider

Seaglider Field Team Responsibilities


Ø  Carry out the physical hands-on glider tasks

•  Install antenna, rudder and wings in the field

•  Conduct the Self Test prior to Sea Launch

•  Deploy and recover the vehicle

•  Disassemble, clean and stow the vehicle

Seaglider Shipping Crate Contents


Ø  The glider ships in a single gray shipping crate

Ø  Unpack the following items from the crate:

•  Launch and recovery cradle parts

•  Seaglider

•  Antenna assembly

•  Wings, rudder, and wands

•  Field laptop

•  Communications cable

•  Spares kit

•  Seaglider notebook Main compartment Cover with storage

Seaglider and Equipment Assembly


Seaglider Set-up for Self Test


Ø  Fully assembled glider

Ø  Laptop with DB-9 serial or USB port and Tera Term communication program

Ø  Non-powered communications cable

Ø  Power on/off wand

Ø  Cell/Iridium phone and number to call pilot

Ø  Seaglider Notebook

Seaglider Set-up for Self Test


Ø  Position fully assembled glider outside, nose down, antenna up at ~ -60 degree angle

Ø  The antenna must have an unobstructed view of the sky

Ø  Connect the communications cable to the laptop and the glider

Ø  Power on the laptop, start up Tera Term and open a log file

Ø  Power on the Seaglider

Ø  Begin the Self Test

Seaglider Self Test Tera Term Output


Ø  Initial Tera Term output

Seaglider Deployment


Ø  If pilot team determines the glider is ready for a field deployment after reviewing the Self Test output •  Pilot team instructs field team to begin Sea Launch program •  Midway through the Sea Launch program glider generates and sends a .prm file to

the basestation •  Pilot team reviews the file and determines if Sea Launch can continue •  If review is favorable, pilot team instructs field team to continue Sea Launch •  Field team loads the boat

−  Seaglider −  Launch and Recovery Cradle −  Tag Lines −  Deck Box −  Hand-held GPS −  Binoculars −  Cell phone or Iridium satellite phone −  Notepad, clipboard, wax pencil −  Launch coordinates −  Personal gear

•  Field team heads to launch site

Seaglider Deployment – Small Boat


Ø  At the launch site the Field Team: •  Attaches a positively buoyant tag line to the

glider •  Sets up the deck box and transducer •  Removes the protective covers from the sensors •  Deploys the glider either

−  Nose first •  Put the glider in its cradle on the gunwale, nose

facing outboard •  Remove the straps securing the glider to the

cradle •  Gently holding the antenna, slide the glider and

cradle over the side and release the glider −  Tail first

•  Put the glider in its cradle on the gunwale, antenna facing outboard

•  Remove the straps securing the glider to the cradle

•  Slide the glider and cradle further out over the gunwale and tilt downward until the glider slides off the cradle.

Seaglider Deployment – Small Boat


Ø  With the glider still tethered •  Field Team assesses the glider’s buoyancy

−  Is part of the rudder visible about the water surface?

•  Field Team deploys the transducer and interrogates the glider at the specified frequency −  Does the glider respond at the anticipated

frequency? •  Field Team notifies Pilot Team of the observations •  Pilot Team determines if the deployment can

continue •  When Pilot Team gives permission to remove the tag

line, do so. Pilot Team will have glider begin dive 1 •  Pilot Team reviews data from first dive and

determines if the glider can remain deployed or should be recovered

•  Field Team remains on site until released by Pilot Team

Seaglider Deployment – Large Boat


Ø  The method used will vary by vessel •  General Method:

−  Attach a quick release line around the glider, just forward of the rudder

−  Pass the other end of the line through a sheave and onto a winch

−  Lift the glider off the deck and over the side −  Activate the quick release when the glider is less

than .5 m from the water −  Field Team notifies Pilot Team of the deployment

and how the glider is riding in the water −  Pilot team begins mission if buoyancy looks

good −  Pilot Team reviews data from first dive and

determines if the glider can remain deployed or should be recovered

−  Field Team remains on site until released by Pilot Team

Seaglider Recovery – Small Boat


Ø  The Field Team heads to the recovery site

Ø  Pilot Team places $QUIT in cmdfile Ø  Field Team locates glider and initiates

recovery •  Field Team gently holds antenna and

slides the cradle between the boat and the glider

•  Field Team moves glider into the cradle and hauls the glider/cradle unit partially on board – letting the water drain out of the fairings

•  Field Team brings glider completely on board when most water has drained and secures the glider to the cradle

•  Field Team rinses glider with fresh water and replaces the sensor covers

Ø  Field Team wands off glider

The number of gliders recovered should equal the number of gliders deployed

Seaglider Recovery – Large Boat


Ø  The Field Team heads to the recovery site

Ø  Pilot Team places $QUIT in cmdfile Ø  Field Team locates glider and initiates

recovery Ø  Recovery will vary by vessel

•  One method −  Loop of line with thin strand

of wire woven through it mounted to a long pole

−  Other end of line is passed through a sheave to a winch

Ø  Field Team wands off glider

Seaglider Cleaning


Ø  Field Team removes the sensor caps and rinses glider, wings, rudder and antenna with fresh water •  Block the hole in the nose of the

forward fairing and fill the fairing with water until it spills out of the opening around the CT sail and the rudder

•  After the sensors have been rinsed with fresh water, rinse the CT sail with bleach solution (50 parts water to 1 part bleach)

•  Immediately replace the sensor caps (exposure to light will damage some sensors)

Ø  Allow the glider to dry

Seaglider and Equipment Disassembly


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