Affordable Vehicle Avionics

Overview

During part of my first internship at NASA, I contributed to the AVA project evaluating flight controllers for low-cost, small rocket launches. I modified the software to increase the data sampling rate and performed small test launches to evaluate the performance of the controller. Taking the resulting data from the inertial measurement unit, I recreated the flight path. The results are acceptable, but because of the low quality gyroscope, orientation was not tracked exceptionally well.

Contributions

Modified Arduino flight controller software to collect and store data during rocket launches
Developed model rocket-based test bed to refine software resulting in several successful tests
Developed MATLAB code to recreate flight-path based on IMU data
Helped design and build interface to mount in avionics bay of high-powered rocket

Subsequent to the small scale testing, the flight controller was mounted for installation on a high-powered rocket that was serving as a test bed for the AVA project. The flight controller performed well, collecting data through the duration of the flight.

First test flight of the model rocket with flight controller on board.

Arduino flight controller mounted for AVA test flight.

High-powered test flight.

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