Pillar of Autumn OBC

The purpose of this project is to give the knowledge and open source code on how to build a flight computer (On Board Computer (OBC)) for an amateur model rocket for research and science projects.

The Arduino code is in the OBC directory, and it's divided in subfiles for ease of use. To run it you have to compile de OBC.ino file.

What i does?

Is a simple data logger that stores the values of the sensors in a CSV file for further analysis. Is also activate a servo motor when detects free fall for a parachute deployment mechanism.

POA is an achronym of "Pillar Of Autumn", the coolest spaceship of Halo Reach

How it stores data?

The method for storing info is in the logData.ino file. The order in wich is save is:

1. logTime: time passed since it's turn on
2. Relative altitude.
3. Free fall state: 0 or 1
4. BMP280 temperature
5. Pressure
6. Pitch
7. Roll
8. Yaw
9. X Acceleration
10. Y Acceleration
11. Z Acceleration

Libraries

For running this project, you will have to download some libraries for arduino :

• SdFat - by Bill Greiman
• MPU6050 - by Korneliusz Jarzebski (improved version here)
• BMP280 - by Adafruit (if you use a chinese version you should change the I2C address from 0x77 to 0x76)

Schematics and PCB design

The OBC use the MPU6050 and BMP280 Sensors, a micro SD module and a buzzer for alerts. It also has the capability to activate a servo motor when it dectects free fall.

I hope that the information in this repository is a good starting point for your science and technology projects, If you want to help us developing this, feel free to do it.

References

• Calamac Projects (2015). “Arduino Rocket Data Logger”. Instructables.com. Recuperado de: https://www.instructables.com/id/Arduino-Rocket-Data-Logger
• Boyarizo E. y Méndez C. (2017). Diseño y construcción de un microsatélite(CanSat). IES El Burgo de Las Rozas.
• Day B., Lumpkin T., Huegele V., Pierce C. (Sin fecha). “Basics of rocketry”. Huntsville Area Rocketry Assiciation (HARA).
• Newton M. (2012). Rocket Anatomy 101. NAR.
• Orlando J. (2012). “Estudio de la trayectoria de un cohete de tres etapas lanzado desde el territorio colombiano”. Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. Pag. 80-81.
• T. Benson (2014). Brief History of Rockets. NASA. Recuperado de : https://www.grc.nasa.gov/www/k-12/TRC/Rockets/history_of_rockets.html
• Van Milligan T. (2009) “Make a rocket payload bay”. Apogee Rockets. Recuperado de : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ctUCO8GsJ4&index=30&list=PLnX-NFLCOOVkq82xIrfm6KuaVoljTCtob
• Van Milligan T. (Sin fecha). “Pressure Relief Holes”. Apogee preak of flight newsletter, issue 68.

Bibliography

• Álvarez N., Huérfano R., Ojeda O., (2015) “Diseño e implementación de misión para el lanzamiento de un cohete para tres kilómetros de altura”. Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá.
• Esero (sin fecha). “2018 UK Cansat Competition Guidelines”. Esero. Pag. 9-10.
• European Space Agency(ESA) (2018). “CanSat Guidelines 2018-109”. ESA.
• Ojeda O. (2016) “The Aerospace development and research group of the Universidad Nacional de Colombia, GIDA-UN. A tool for aerospace education in Colombia”. 67 th International Astronautical Congress (IAC). México, Guadalajara.
• Ricardo P. (2018). “Reto de innovación IEEE 2018 – CanSat para la paz”. Universidad Distrital. Bogotá. Recuperado de : https://ieee.udistrital.edu.co/ieee-innovation-2018/