Long range telemetry system for experimental rocketry

DESCRIPTION

My name is Andrés Lopez Pulzovan. I´m an Aeronautical Engineering student at UNC (Universidad Nacional de Córdoba), Córdoba, Argentina. I´m a member of MECA, an experimental rocketry team composed of undergraduate students.

We are currently developing a single-stage, solid fueled rocket capable of carrying a 1kg payload to high altitude. Launching from the ground, we want to achieve an altitude of 10km, but our main goal is to use the rocket in a Rockoon configuration: launching it from an aerostatic, recoverable, controllable,  weather-balloon-supported platform at 20km altitude. This allows final altitudes in the order of 100km, with a minimum expense per launch.

To achieve this ambitious goal, it is important to have a reliable telemetry system that allows to track the rocket´s position in real time. We also wanted a datalogging system to record flight parameters for post-flight analysis.

TECHNICAL DETAILS

The telemetry system is based on an Arduino NANO microcontroller board. Data is supplied to the board by an uBlox 6 NEO GPS, an ADXL375 high-G accelerometer, an MPU6050 used as gyroscope, a microSD card module, and an RFD900+ radio transceiver.

Prototype:

The microcontroller transmits the GPS data (latitude, longitude, altitude, velocity, health of link, etc) to the ground station 5  times per second, and writes an echo of the GPS data together with data from the accelerometer and gyroscope to the SD card.

The three boards required for this system are very simple, since the only components that have to be soldered to them are female thru-hole headers to connect the modules.

Model of complete system:

The whole system will later be assembled with 3D printed plastic parts between the boards to protect the modules from the G forces generated during flight.

Words to PCBWay

We are very thankful for this opportunity. It´s great that non-profit student research projects get this kind of support.

Our project is self funded, therefore this sponsorship for free PCB´s is deeply appreciated and will help ensure the project further development and our formation as engineers.

Of course, in exchange we will acknowledge PCBWay as a major contributor to the project.