Deciding on what to do for 2nd balloon launch

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Second Balloon Launch Research

 JESSINIE MICS-6814 Gas Sensor Module Air Quality Detection Sensor Carbon Monoxide CO Nitrogen Dioxide NO2 Ammonia NH3 Gas Detector Module for Arduino - - Amazon.com

Amazon.com : 9PCS/Lot Gas Detection Sensor Module MQ-2 MQ-3 MQ-4 MQ-5 MQ-6 MQ-7 MQ-8 MQ-9 MQ-135 Sensor Module for Arduino : Electronics
Spec Sheets for CO2 gas sensor models MH-Z19, MH-Z19B, MH-Z19C, and MH-Z19E respectively
MH-Z19 CO2 Ver1.0.pdf (winsen-sensor.com)
mh-z19b-co2-ver1_0.pdf (winsen-sensor.com)
Note: To keep continual product development, we reserve right to change design features without prior notice！
Note: To keep continual product development, we reserve right to change design features without prior notice！ (winsen-sensor.com)

This is a follow up to the ECE 294 Nasa ascend project; the class is split into two semesters where students who participate in the fall semester do not have to participate in the spring semester, but if you do want to participate in the spring semester, you must have participated in the fall semester. Previously, we sent a payload with several items: circuit board (AKA flight data recorder), cameras, accelerometer, pressure sensor, and two temperature sensors (one for the inside and one for the outside). This semester, what I want to do is send a sensor that can measure the gases in the atmosphere. Preferably, anything containing oxygen or nitrogen since Earth's atmosphere is nitrogen dominated with oxygen right behind. I found sensors that measured just that. However, every single sensor I found contained an operating humidity of 95% meaning they would shut off before reaching 16 feet above the ground; the humidity decreases rapidly (Feng, 3). Furthermore, the operating temperature for every sensor was 30 degrees Celsius to 50 degrees Celsius and, according to our previous data, the temperature reached -50 degrees Celsius (outside camera) and 10 degrees Celsius (inside camera) (Sky High Ascend Team Final Data Report). Fortunately, I found an MH-Z19 CO2 gas sensor with an operating humidity of 0%-95% and an operating temperature of -10 degrees Celsius to 50 degrees Celsius (the sensor will be on the inside). However, this sensor displayed digital information as opposed to analog. Our pro micro on the circuit board converts from analog to digital but not vice versa. You cannot simply plug in a digital sensor despite the data being digital. The whole point of the analog to digital converter is for the data to make a journey through the pro micro for it to register and store the data, so I need an analog sensor, but all the analog sensors did not have the desired operating humidity and temperature. Eventually, I figured that the best option was to find a sensor containing all three: temperature, humidity, and CO2 sensors in one. The reason was because if the sensor had a temperature and humidity sensor built in, it was designed to handle a huge range of humidity and temperature. Eventually, I found an analog sensor containing the three. The specs are below.
Spec Sheet: SCD4x Data Sheet (sensirion.com)
In addition, the spec sheet being pages and pages long puts trust in the supplier in that they know what they are selling, and it helps guide me through the process. Overall, our team is discussing more ideas and experiments regarding the weather balloon's launch.

Sources:
Humidity bias and effect on simulated aerosol optical properties during the...: EBSCOhost (maricopa.edu)
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