Tonight we launched the first avionics project, a simple, standalone amateur TV (ATV) system that we want for the next launch. It's just for this launch, but in the future it may be useful as a system for tracking and recovering stages.
- put pictures here eventually
Here's the plan:
- Build GPS and ATV cylindrical patch antennas
- Get new materials
- Test new materials (esp. UHMW PE epsilon_r)
- Build test antenna? flat and curved?
- Design and have new CPA PCBs build
- Build antennas and test
- Breadboard phase I + II standalone ATV systems: ATV + BOB X + COTS GPS + CPAs
- Check system connections, assumptions about component behaviours
- Do a range test with breadboard + CPAs + actual ground antennas (helical antennas)
- Q: Do we need a power amp? Or is 1W OK?
- What other gotchas?
- Finalize design details
- Design power supply
- Based on n minutes at m watts
- Use new LTM switchers for those modules that need it.
- Smallest possible LiPoly battery pack; integrated charger to umbilical cord
- Probably need a disable switch or shorting bar
- breadboard and test
- Build for rocket
- Mechanical structure, including mounting of camera and heatsink issues
- relationship with CPAs
- Write launch checklist and operations document
- Launch!