IITK Rocketry and Space Exploration Team

Introduction

We are a newly formed and dynamic collective of aspiring rocket enthusiasts, brought together not only by our shared passion for high-power rocketry but also by a mutual dedication to cultivating a culture of continual learning. Our journey is centered around striving for excellence at the Spaceport America Cup, yet our aspirations extend far beyond mere competition, prioritizing a robust educational experience for all team members involved.

Comprising 30 members with diverse engineering backgrounds including Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and more, from the esteemed Indian Institute Of Technology Kanpur, India, our team receives guidance and support from respected professors at our institution: Dr. Ashoke De, Dr. Abhijit Kushari, strong> Dr. Rajesh Kitey.

Our team is divided into divisions such as Aerodynamics & Structures, Propulsion, Avionics, Recovery and Payload, Finance, Logistics, and Media, our vertical structure ensures a comprehensive approach to all our projects including preparation for SA cup.

Our inaugural project involves developing a KNSB-based SRAD K-class rocket motor, currently in the manufacturing phase. Additionally, a smaller rocket powered by a COTS E-class motor is under construction for testing all our sensors. 

I am Anushree Shukla, head of the avionics subsystem writing to you to seek help from PCBWay to support the manufacturing and assembly of our custom PCB. The documentation about the project is attached with the mail.

Our Project

We are designing our first experimental rocket, " Aarambh-1" with a target apogee of 10,000 feet. Our rocket body is primarily made of fiberglass composites. It is 3m long and has an outer diameter of 155mm.

According to the SA Cup guidelines our rocket must be equipped with two flight computers:- one primary system and one redundant system for firing the black powder. Our primary system consists of COTS component in which we are using RRC3 Dual Deployment Altimeter with a 9V battery and for redundant system we are using Student Research and Developed (SRAD) flight computer to provide redundancy to the Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) GPS and altimeter. Since the main goal of the redundant flight computer is to transmit the altimeter data and fire the pyrotechnics, we have kept the PCB design simple and straightforward.

PCB details:

We have designed a two layered PCB on KiCAD for our flight computer. Below are images of the proposed PCB that will be manufactured and assembled by PCBWay's world-class facilities, ensuring quality and precision in production. The base material of our PCB is FR4 and the conductive circuit is made of copper. The board is laminated with a negative photoresist material. The green solder mask is used to silk screen the PCB.

There are three main components of our PCB:-

Teensy 4.1 microcontroller - Used for coordinating the communication between the altimeter and Xbee sensor.

XBee - PRO S2C Zigbee - Used for communicating with ground station and rocket avionics transmitting the altitude data.

BME-280 - Gives altitude data which helps in firing pyrotechnics for deploying the drogue chute and main chute.

Support Requested:

We are seeking sponsorship from PCBWay to support the manufacturing and assembly of our custom PCB. Your sponsorship will play a crucial role in realizing our project “Aarambh-1” ‘s SRAD flight computer.

Conclusion:

We believe that our project aligns with PCBWay's commitment to technological innovation and excellence in PCB manufacturing. Your sponsorship will not only help us achieve our goals but also showcase the capabilities of your world-class facilities.

We appreciate your consideration of our proposal and look forward to the opportunity to collaborate with PCBWay on this exciting project.