Flight Computer

The flight computer contains an HC I 1 and two ADC chips. It samples the outputs from the rest of the payload, packatizes the information and sends it to the transmitter. The packet format is attached. The data is transmitted at 230.4 kbaud. The two external 13-bit ADC chips are talked to over a serial port and are used for the low speed data. The internal 8-bit ADC on the HC I I are used for the high speed data. Twelve low speed channels and four high speed channels are used.

House keeping

This board monitors the status of the payload as well as measuring temperatures.  It measures two K type thermocouple that is mounted in the nose tip to provide the nose tip temperature. It monitors the voltages of the power board to make sure that they are stable.  It has an air pressure sensor routed to a plenum to measure outside air pressure. 

VHF Transmitter

The transmitter takes the serial stream of data from the flight computer and transmits it to the ground.  It operates in the 220 to 230 MHz range and will be set as need by Poker Flat.  The transmitter is currently set to 222.75 MHz.  It puts out 10.5-11 watts of RF power that will radiate through a whip antenna in the nose.

The TR-2 recovery system  uses electro-explosive devices (EEDS) to separate the payload from the engine and then deploy the parachutes.  Because of safety concerns, these explosive devices are required to be unarmed until after launch.  The deployment system must determine when launch has occurred, when it is safe to arm the EEDs, and when to deploy the parachutes.  The recovery system deployment is controlled by a Motorola M68HC11 microcontroller located on the EED board.  The HC11 uses an algorithm to determine when launch has occurred, and then determine the best time to arm and fire the EEDs based on inputs from instruments located throughout he rocket.

Magnetometer

The magnetometer was be built by the students at Tokai University.  It will measure the rocket's orientation on three axis using the earth's magnetic field. 

Power

Accelerometer

The accelerometer board provides four acceleration channels in high and low speed.  The channels are radial, tangential, longitudinal, and y-axis.  The high-speed channel is for vibration information and the dc is cut off, while the low speed channels are for the acceleration curve and the vibration is cut off.  The low speed y-axis is not sampled in this mission.