I was a member of the BYU Rocketry High Power Team for the Spaceport America 2023 Cup. The entry for cup was a competition vehicle named 'Solitude.' Within  the team, my role was the GNC Team lead, whose task was to oversee the data acquisition and telemetry systems of the rocket, as well as ensure the rocket is successfully recovered after each launch. 

This was the first year BYU Rocketry has ever attempted a live telemetry system. I was in charge of its design and implementation into the rocket. Details about this telemetry system can be found here. Additionally, I helped design Avionics hardware and electrical systems for rocket recovery. 

Overview of the subsystems in Solitude.

The Avionics Bay (AV-Bay) for the Solitude rocket was created for a dual-deployment recovery configuration. Due to the size and weight of the airframe and payload, the AV-Bay is designed to withstand large forces. As a result, structural components were created out of carbon fiber, and additional load-bearing parts were reinforced with carbon fiber. 

The structure of the AV-Bay consists of a 6” outer diameter carbon fiber tube 12” in length. The ends of the tube are fitted with 1 ⅛” carbon-fiber reinforced wooden bulkheads. Each bulkhead is equipped with a 3/8” thick U-Bolt for parachute linkage, aluminum charge wells for black powder containment, and screw terminals for E-match to altimeter connection. ⅜” threaded rods run the length of the tube, holding the bulkheads together and serve as the mount for the housing for the electronics. 

The size of the rocket and the payload ejection event create an increased risk of shock cord/parachute tangling and interference. To mitigate this issue, the U-Bolt on the main side of the AV-Bay is connected to a 40 ft. Amsteel Blue shock cord, and a main parabolic parachute. The drogue side of AV-Bay is connected to a 50 ft. Amsteel Blue shock cord, and a 4 ft. parabolic drogue chute. 

Electronics are mounted on a 10” 3D-Printed PLA frame within the coupler. Two separate pull-pins are used to arm them via limit switches. Plastic screw terminals are attached to the exterior sides of the bulkheads. Wiring to the screw terminals can be separated and reattached using XT60 wire connectors. This allows for quick assembly/disassembly of the AV-Bay and increases troubleshooting effectiveness in the event a problem arises. 

Altitude tracking capabilities of the avionics bay are performed by primary firing Perfectflite Stratologger and secondary firing Altus Metrum Easymini altimeters. The Stratologger is powered by a 8.7 V battery, while the Altus Metrum Easymini is powered by a 7.4 V battery. Once the parachutes are properly packed and inserted into their respective locations, the AV-Bay is fixed to the main and drogue body tubes via 6 no. 4 nylon shear pins on the drogue side, and 8 no. 4 nylon shear pins on the main side. 

 A full report outlining every aspect of the competition vehicle may be found in the technical report, which was authored by various team members.  

ABSTRACT

BYU Rocketry’s Solitude is a homemade flight vehicle designed to compete in the 10,000 foot commercial-off-the-shelf category at the Intercollegiate Rocket Engineering Challenge (IREC). Solitude is designed to reach an apogee of exactly 10,000 feet, eject a scientific payload during descent, and return to Earth safely and undamaged. An adjustable counterweight system enables the team to monitor wind and other on-the-day conditions to ensure the ideal center of pressure and thrust-to-weight calculations. From liftoff to touchdown Solitude’s custom live telemetry system will provide data for the recovery team to determine a nominal flight from miles away. At 5,000 feet above ground level the vehicle will eject a payload radially from the body of the rocket that will monitor the effects of the Radiative Night Sky Cooling Effect on different coatings at different altitudes. This is all possible due to BYU Rocketry’s expertise in simulation and modeling such as extensive fin flutter analysis, in-the-field testing, and structural analysis done both experimentally and with Finite Element Analysis (FEA) software. BYU Rocketry’s submission shows technical excellence in simulation, testing, manufacturing, and overall performance. 

 Overall, the BYU Rocketry team placed 1st in the 10k COTS category and won an additional award for modeling and simulation. The team was also selected to be the overall winners of the entire cup, receiving the prestigious Genesis Award. This was the first time BYU Rocketry had ever won a Spaceport America Cup.