Mission preparation

Topic: Checklist of steps for broad mission preparation before shipment or launch day

Last Updated 2025-06-02

In development

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Interactive/editable templates for these steps are on Google Drive:

Mission Preparation - Before Shipment
Mission Preparation - Day of Launch [SEAGLIDER.PUB]
Mission Preparation - Day of Launch [OSU BASESTATION]

Survey planning

• Draft survey plans
• Make final track (generate map and summary info, generate targets file, generate CSV of planned survey at 5 km resolution for Navy)
• Draft deployment plan
• Arrange insurance
• Arrange shipping (pickup, storage on arrival, hazmat paperwork)
• Draft pilot schedule

Before shipment

• Complete refurbishment and bench tests of any new sensors
• Update sg_calib_constants.m with any mass or calibration changes from refurbishment
• Complete tank ballasting procedure to get approximate centers and check buoyancy
• Review final packing list and pack crates
• Complete and review a pre-shipment self test (either run this with the refurbishment mission or with the upcoming mission set on the basestation)

Before launch day

For detail on each of these tasks see the Pre-launch day preparation page.

(an editable version of this task list can be found in the Mission Prep Task List - TEMPLATE)

• Review self test files
• Prep basestation
  • Clean up old files (likely OSU basestation only)
  • Create new mission folder (seaglider.pub only)
  • Update missions.yml (seaglider.pub only)
• Prep and upload final piloting files
  • sg_calib_constants.m
  • cmdfile
  • science
  • targets
  • pmar.cnf (if installed)
  • pagers.yml (or .pagers)
  • pdoscmds.bat
• Set up local file structure
• Set up agate
  • configuration file
  • download script
• Create pilot log

Day of launch

More coming soon….

• Create pilot log

PILOT LOG TEMPLATE