Year: 2020

5 reasons to put electronics into your rocket

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I’m just beginning to learn about the different kinds of electronics that can go into a rocket. It seems like there are virtually limitless possibilities, but I’ll give a quick overview below.

TeleMetrum v3.0 flight computer chip sitting on stone backdrop
TeleMetrum v3.0 flight computer

A high power rocket often has an electronics bay (“e-bay”) or some payload area where you can put various types of payloads, generally electronics.

The options are really endless, but just to help provide some overall context, here are a couple of the major types or categories of electronics that can go into a rocket.

An empty electronics bay made of wood with metal screws and rods
An empty e-bay
  1. Altimeter. This is a simple device that measures altitude, or height. It uses changes in barometric pressure to determine height (starting by setting it to zero at the launch site, so that it has a starting point). It’s fun to launch a rocket, but it’s nice to know exactly how high it goes. I’ve heard great things about the RRC3 from MissileWorks, for example, as well as the StratoLoggerCF altimeter.
  2. Parachute release. If you wrap the parachute with a rubber band so that it’s closed tightly, it won’t automatically open when it’s released at peak height. By using a very small chip, such as the Chute Release from Jolly Logic, you can control when that parachute actually opens up and deploys.
  3. GPS/ radio beacon. It’s helpful to know exactly where your rocket goes, using something to record position data. It’s also helpful for finding your rocket after it inevitably disappears from sight and you have no idea where it landed. I’ve heard several people recommend the BeeLine GPS, for example, from Big Red Bee.
  4. Flight computer. This is a small chip (e.g. the one pictured at the top of this page) that integrates several useful functions into a single device. A flight computer generally contains an altimeter and GPS/ radio beacon, but also contains “pyro channels” which can control parachute deployment. A flight computer allows a rocket to “dual deploy,” meaning you can deploy two separate parachutes, and you have a greater degree of control over when the rocket parts separate and the parachutes actually deploy. The flight computer pictured above is the TeleMetrum, from Altus Metrum.
  5. Camera. Is there any limit to how creative you can get with putting electronics into a rocket? Not really! I’ve just begun to scratch the surface, but I know people put a GoPro or other camera on the outside of the rocket and record video during launch, so that you see the earth receding underneath. For some of the biggest rockets, you can even glimpse the horizon and the edge of the earth’s atmosphere.

My initial goal is to just figure out what I’m doing (I have no experience working with electronics) and put together the basic parts to create a functional e-bay with a flight computer. This is one of my 2020 goals – and specifically a January 2020 goal because I have a lot more to do this year.

What to see at the Museum of Science & Industry in Chicago

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When I was visiting family in Chicago for the holidays, I got a chance to check out the Museum of Science and Industry (“MSI”) and in particular, the Henry Crown Space Center. I was born and raised in Chicago and I’ve been to MSI many times when I was younger, but it’s been a few years now. They’ve remodeled and changed exhibits countless times, and I can’t remember having seen the space center before.

Aurora 7 capsule on display from Project Mercury
Aurora 7 capsule (Project Mercury)

Needless to say, it was awesome! There are areas dedicated to each of the major US human spaceflight programs, explaining their purpose. These programs and their stated goals include:

  • Project Mercury (to orbit a manned spacecraft around earth, to investigate humans’ ability to function in space, and to recover both person and spacecraft successfully),
  • Project Gemini (to rendezvous and dock two spacecraft), and
  • Project Apollo (to land men on the moon and return them safely to earth).
Apollo 8 module on display
Apollo 8 module

As pictured here, the exhibit included an actual manned capsule from Mercury and an actual module from Apollo. These were on loan to MSI from the National Air and Space Museum. There’s also a rock on display from the lunar surface. It’s really impressive to see these things in person; mind-blowing when you stop to think about it.

If you want to see more photos, check out my instagram, but I wanted to at least share some highlights from the exhibit on the blog as well. Chicago is renowned for its world-class museums, and MSI doesn’t disappoint.

Apollo lunar landing display
Apollo lunar landing

The space center also had some areas dedicated to modern and future space missions, including info about SpaceX (see picture below), Blue Origin, Virgin Galactic, and other private companies, as well as current NASA projects and plans.

Display model of SpaceX Falcon 9
From the past to the future of spaceflight

I’m enjoying launching model rockets and getting into high power rocketry, but it’s pretty inspiring to see a huge exhibit like this. It gives me motivation to set more rocket-related goals (and crush them) in 2020!

The goals that I forgot to mention

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I listed my top 5 rocket-related goals for 2020 in my last post, but I am quickly realizing that an appendix is necessary.

Scrabble tiles spelling out "GOALS"

It’s not just that I feel the need to go into further detail. Sure, each of those goals I already listed can be (and needs to be) broken down into multiple sub-parts. For example, in transforming my backyard shed into a workshop, I need to do a couple of major things:

  1. clean it and haul out a bunch of junk;
  2. knock out parts of the wall, frame window locations with wood, and install windows for natural light;
  3. wire it with electricity by running conduit from the main power supply in the house;
  4. install new wooden countertop for work surface;
  5. install light fixtures;

…and so on. Each of these has sub-parts as well – you get the idea. That will be a decent sized project. But aside from my previous post, I also need to add a few extra things to my list of what I want to accomplish in 2020:

  • Write an “instructable” on how to build a high power rocket. One of the reasons I got into rocketry to begin with was that I came across a really good instructable on HPR.
  • Learn more about the laws and regulations governing spaceflight and rockets (manned and unmanned) and write and publish an article on this topic, maybe in a law journal. I was inspired by an article I saw on Politico recently.
  • Get an amateur radio (“ham radio“) license. I’ve never really considered this until recently, but it’s becoming increasingly obvious to me that having such a license would be extremely useful when adding electronics to a rocket, since the ground station communicates with the rocket via telemetry, through radio. In fact, I’ve been looking at the TeleMetrum flight computer recently for the electronics bay in my rocket, and to legally operate a TeleMetrum flight computer system in the US, you need at least a “Technician Class” amateur radio license from the FCC.

So.. I’d better get started!

New year, new me: Goals for 2020

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Farewell, 2019. Bring on 2020.

I’ve only recently gotten into rocketry, so I feel like I’m moving pretty quickly. Prior to a few months ago, mid to late 2019, I’d never even built or launched any kind of model rocket, even a small one.

Fireworks
Bring on 2020

Fast forward to today, and I’ve built and flown several rockets. I’ve even assembled a high power rocket and I’m on the verge of launching it (just need to find a high power launch event/ location)! Assuming the flight and landing are successful, I’ll get my level 1 certification through the National Association of Rocketry (“NAR”) for high power rocketry.

It’s a fitting time to say goodbye to one year and to welcome the next one. Now is when people generally step back and take stock of where they are in life, and what they want to accomplish in the next year.

So in that spirit, below I’ve listed my major rocket-related goals for 2020. They say a goal properly set is a goal halfway reached. Right? Right??

  1. L1 cert. Get level 1 (“L1”) certification in high power rocketry, using a rocket with an H or I motor.
  2. Build an electronics bay. Learn more about electronics and build a functioning electronics bay (“e-bay”) with a flight computer for use inside a rocket, capable of dual deployment (electronically deploying two parachutes at different heights).
  3. L2 cert. Get L2 certification in HPR, using a rocket with a larger J, K, or L motor and a functional e-bay.
  4. Build a workshop. Transform backyard shed into rocketry workshop.
  5. L3 cert. Get L3 certification in HPR, using a custom-built large rocket with an M, N, or O motor.

I’m actually not even sure this is all achievable in a single year, even if I go all out and work as hard as I can. From what I understand, people who build and launch high power rockets often take years between each certification. According to NAR, only 1,677 people in the entire U.S. are currently L1 certified; only 613 currently have an L3 cert.

But that’s ok! What would be the point in setting goals if they were easy to achieve?

Set goals. Crush goals. Repeat.
Fitness goal quote? Maybe, but it applies here equally well

Let’s do this 2020!