NASA Student Launch Competition
Recovery Systems Design Lead/ Recovery System Electronics Lead/ Safety Officer
This was the first launch of the full scale vehicle. Both parachutes deployed at the correct time delay and the payload received minimal forces validating the design.
This was the second successful launch of the subscale design. It was a windy day so it was a long walk to retrieve the vehicle after launch.
This is a diagram of the recovery system wiring. Each StratoLogger is controlled by an independent 9V battery. They are connected through double-pole throw key-lock switches. These are used to arm the system when on the launch pad.
This was the first launch of the full scale vehicle. Both parachutes deployed at the correct time delay and the payload received minimal forces validating the design.
Recovery Systems Design Lead
The Task:
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Create a launch vehicle that will bring an unspecified fragile payload to a mile and recover it without breaking.
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Design a recovery system that will safely recover the rocket while putting the least amount of forces on the fragile payload.
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Safely descend so that the launch vehicle will be able to be prepared to relaunch with minimal repair and replacement of parts.
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Find a method of separation for the rocket that will deploy parachutes at desired altitudes.
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Remain within the required drift limits on descent.
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Ensure safety by creating redundancy in the system.
The Design:
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Three separations were utilized to put the least amount of force on the payload; this reduced the mass of the vehicle attached to the payload thus reducing the force imparted by the main parachute.
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The initial separation split the vehicle into two parts at apogee, an Interstage system was used to avoid tangling of the drogue parachutes.
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The motor section drogue inserted into in the Interstage canister, shown as the canister with the smaller diameter in figure 6.
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The Interstage is closed off from the area of first separation by a bulkhead held in place by friction. A ledge is added â…› inch deep to ensure the bulkhead will not move during flight.
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The payload section drogue is housed just outside the Interstage in the cavity where the initial separation occurs.
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At apogee, the black powder located on the uppermost centering ring is ignited causing pressurization of the tube shearing the screws holding the sections together.
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Separation of the payload section and motor section, and the deployment of the payload section drogue.
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After a one second delay, a black powder charge located in the Interstage is ignited pressurizing the Interstage. The motor section drogue is released and the bulkhead is connected to the shock chord so it falls safely with the vehicle.
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The 2nd and 3rd separations occur at an altitude of 500ft.
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Black powder charges pressurize the chambers shearing the screws holding the sections together. Both of the parachutes are released passively.
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The size of the parachutes and the altitude of release is determined by the drift calculations as to remain within the provided constraints.
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All parachutes are secured with Kevlar shock chords. The drogue parachutes are secured with eye bolts. The main parachutes are secured with hoist rings to prevent tear out from spinning of the vehicle.
Recovery Systems Electronics Lead
The Task:
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Design an electronics system that will ignite black powder charges at specific altitudes to release parachutes.
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Create a system that has redundancy to ensure a safe recovery of the vehicle.
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Have the system record flight data for analysis.
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Conduct ground tests to ensure the system will pressurize and release parachutes as designed.
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Create a faraday cage to shield electronics from GPS electronics.
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Assemble the launch vehicle on the day of a launch to the design specifications within 3 hours.
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In charge of recovery systems assembly including:
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Packing black powder charges
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Testing electronics bays
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Attaching e-matches
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Integrating the electronics bays into the launch vehicle
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Arming the recovery system on the launch pad
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Tools Used:
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Hand tools
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Soldering Iron
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Multimeter
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Laser Cutter
The Design:
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6 StratoLogger altimeters are used to ignite e-matches which are used to ignite the black powder charges.
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4 are used for the motor electronics bay, 2 are used for the payload electronics bay.
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There are two altimeter outputs for each parachute; they connect to e-matches; there are two black powder charges per parachute.
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This redundancy ensures that the sections are pressurized and separate if one of the outputs or e-matches fails.
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There are two switches in each electronics bay to turn the StratoLoggers on, if one fails the StratoLoggers will still receive power.
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The StratoLoggers are powered by 4 9V’s on the motor electronics bay and 2 9V’s on the payload electronics bay.
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They are stored in laser cut boxes to ensure they don’t move during flight.
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A simple Faraday cage is used to stop interference between the Teensy and the Stratologgers.
Safety Officer
The Task:
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Ensure the team is working safely during all aspects of the project.
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Check that correct Personal Protective Equipment is used.
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Write reports such as FMEA.
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Discuss with NASA engineers the safety of the launch vehicle and improvements to increase launch safety.
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Monitor launches to ensure that assembly is done properly to avoid safety issues.
Tools Used:
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Personal Protective Equipment