Mission statement:
This package is a modular electronics system for rocket use.
It is a project shared by the rocketry community.
Being modular allows you to add a modual for a specific task.
It also allows you to permanently mount the wiring(harness board) into the rocket so you can move the electronics from one rocket to another without the worry of mis-wiring and time involved to do it right.
The schematic and programming code will be freely available to all. The main CPU board will use several popular controllers that are in-circuit programmable(ICP) which allows the owner to program it for what ever he wants to use it for.
Thus allowing complete design of a rocket including the electronics package. Now you dont have to modify your design to fit an off the shelf unit. You can adjust the electronics to fit your design.
System overview:
The main controller programmer is easy to build with as little as 1 IC and a couple transistors and the programming software is free off the web.
This main controller board would contain the processor and 2 output MOSFETs. It would also have an expantion connector that would allow the addition of other boards or simply a wireing harness for a G switch or burn wire.
The boards will be stackable. there will be one board with few components that can be mounted first. It will have the stacking connector and the wiring harness coming off it. You simply place the controller on it and screw it down, no wires to get crossed when you move it from one rocket to another. Also you can use this board if you have several boards and don't want to stack them 4 high. you just put two or more of these and they interconnect with wires and/or stacking.
The controller board will cost less than $15 so you could leave one in each rocket. On the other hand the accelerometer costs over $20 for the part so you could move this around where you need it.
I was thinking the boards would be 3/4in x 2in. Here is a layout of the boards.
First controller board
Components:
| Unit | Uses | Description |
| Controller board |
Timer,RC backup servo decoder(used with receiver), Camera shutter timer |
Contains a PIC and two output channels. Also has space for a EEPROM |
| Pressure transducer | Used to measure altitude for apogee and/or main deployment or logging | This board contains an A/D converter and pressure sensor maybe an MPXA4115 |
| Accelerometer | Used to measure acceleration for burnout detecion or apogee deployment | This board contains an A/D converter and acceleration sensor |
| Memory board | Allows logging of flight data | This board would contain memory chips for storing flight data |
| Harness board | Connects the wireing harness to the controller board | This board is meant to be permanently mounted in your rocket |
| Multifunction board | Measures acceleration and pressure for dual deployment and/or logging | Contains a dual port A/D , accelration and pressure sensors. |
| Magnetic sensor board |
Detects apogee using a magnetic sensor. Then uses a pressure sensor for dual deployment and/or logging. |
Contains a dual port A/D , magnetic and pressure sensors. |
| High output board | This board has two high current outputs and can measure the resistance of the ignitor connected to it. | Contains a quad port A/D that reads the ignitor and also initiates the MOSFET to fire the output |
Ideas comments:
Let me know what you think and if you would be interested.
Yahoo Group:
I setup a yahoo group for discussions on the Roctronics project.
If you would like to join just follow this link.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/roctronics/join
For those of you not familiar with Yahoo!Groups, its a bit like a mailing list. You can read/post through the web or e-mail.
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