1. RockOn... A Sounding Rocket Payload Workshop
Colorado & Virginia Space Grant Consortium
Mission Initiation Conference
February 21, 2008
2:00 PM EST

2. Presentation Overview
1. Workshop Concept
2. Introduction and Background
3. Workshop Kit Concept
4. Concept of Operations
5. Stacked Kit Configuration
6. RocketSat Can Configuration
7. Can to Launch Vehicle Integration
8. Testing
9. Special Requests
10. Summary of Final Configuration

3. 1. Workshop Concept:
- Faculty and students come to Wallops for a six day hands-on workshop
- In teams of 3-4, they build a sounding rocket payload (RocketSat) from a kit
- All payloads are identical
- Payloads integrated into a standard container and integrated on 4th day
- Payloads are launched on a single rocket on the 6th day
- Workshop is held annually
- Past participants come back to fly their own payloads in standard container for a set price (some may fly on future workshop rockets to help pay cost of workshop launch)

4. 1. Workshop Concept:
- RockOn workshop is based on the successful Boulder BalloonSat workshop

5. 1. Workshop Concept:
- This workshop has been held five times with great participation

6. 1. Workshop Concept:
- We are expecting similar participation with the RockOn workshop
- The website can be found at…

7. 2. Introduction and Background:
RocketSat and Workshop Goals:
1.) Allow students to design payloads that will go into space
2.) More challenging design problem
3.) Unique science opportunities
4.) More demanding hands-on experience
5.) Interdisciplinary team work
6.) Help create a new and standard access to space platform with Wallops

8. 2. Introduction and Background:
- The workshop kit or RocketSat has been under development and testing since January 2006.
- RocketSat has been develped by undergraduate students from the University of Colorado at Boulder
- RocketSat has flown three times in different configurations
- RocketSat I September 2006
- RocketSat II April 2007
- RocketSat III June 2007

9. 2. Introduction and Background:
RocketSat 1 Objectives:
1.) Easily reproducible payload design (COTS)
2.) Qualitative data description of flight environment with altitude
3.) Science Package:
- Geiger Counter
- Microwave Detector
- Sensor Package
- Temperature sensor
- Accelerometers
- Pressure sensor

10. 2. Introduction and Background:
RocketSat 2 Objectives:
1.) Easily reproducible payload design (COTS)
2.) Record detailed flight data:
- Video Camera
3.) General environmental sensors:
- Temperature
- Pressure
- Humidity
4.) Structural Loading Data:
- Three-axis accelerometer recordings
- Strain gauges
- Faculty Sponsored GPS experiment

11. 2. Introduction and Background:
RocketSat 3 Objectives:
1.) Re-fly all hardware from RSI except microwave sensor and Geiger counter
2.) New Sensors:
- Silicon pressure sensor
- New Geiger counter
- New microwave sensor

12. 3. Workshop Kit:
- No Rocket power needed
- No Telemetry needed

13. 3. Workshop Kit: G-Switch 9 Volt Batteries Geiger Counter Z axis
Accels.
AVR

14. 3. Workshop Kit: - Plate material is similar to Lexan
- CG of populated plate is X Y Z
- Weight of populated plate is ~1.75 to 2.00 pounds
- Notches for electrical

15. Functional Block Diagram
3. Workshop Kit:
Functional Block Diagram
In Parallel 9V 9V
Z Accel.
Pressure
Sensor
Temp.
Sensor
Wallops Activation
Geiger
Counter
AVR
AVR Output
G-Switch
AVR Input
VREGS
Flash Input
X and Y Acc.
Flash Memory
Legend
Data Retrieval
Board
(not flight)
Flash Output
Power
Data

16. Data Retrieval (not flight)
3. Workshop Kit:
AVR Board – Revision 3:
- ATMega 32L Microprocessor
- 2 MB Flash Memory
Psi Pressure Sensor
- 3-Axis Acceleration
- Temperature Sensor
- In-System-Programming
- Attached Geiger Counter
- 9 Volt Bus
- RBF pin on each kit
- G-switch on each kit
Z-Axis Acceleration
Data Retrieval (not flight)
G-Switch
Main Board

17. 3. Workshop Kit: Geiger Counter – Revision 3:
- Addition of Audio Segment to compliment blinking LED
- New Aerosol Urethane based conformal coating (1500V/mil dielectric spec) to prevent coronal discharge
- Digital Output TTL pulse for AVR interface and recording
- Epoxy application to Geiger tube to prevent depressurization blowout of mica window
Geiger Board

18. 4. Concept of Operations:
T+1 second –
Z-axis accelerations cause memory protection latches to engage
X- and Y-axis accelerometers show constant values due to spin
T-15 minutes –
Arming Relay Activated
G-switch and AVR deactivated
T+15 minutes –
Rocket lands
Sensors continue to collect data until flash memory is full
Later – Retrieval
Payloads retrieved
AVR continues to operate in low power mode until battery power is exhausted
If power returns, data is not overwritten due to memory protection system
T-0 – Liftoff
G-switch and AVR activated
Z-axis accelerometers show a large vertical acceleration
System begins collecting data
T+~3 minutes –
Rocket reaches apogee
Z-axis accelerometers read 0 g due to free fall conditions

19. Single Plate w/ Stand-Offs 2nd Plate Clocked and Stacked On Top of 1st
5. Stacked Configuration:
Single Plate w/ Stand-Offs
2nd Plate Clocked and Stacked On Top of 1st

20. 3rd Plate Clocked and Stacked On Top of 2nd
5. Stacked Configuration:
Stand-Offs Added
3rd Plate Clocked and Stacked On Top of 2nd

21. 4th Plate Clocked and Stacked On Top of 3rd
5. Stacked Configuration:
Stand-Offs Added
4th Plate Clocked and Stacked On Top of 3rd

22. 5th Plate Clocked and Stacked On Top of 4th
5. Stacked Configuration:
Stand-Offs Added
5th Plate Clocked and Stacked On Top of 4th

23. Stacked Configuration ~10 pounds
Stand-Offs Added
Stacked Configuration ~10 pounds

24. 5 Plate Stack Attached to Can Bottom Bulkhead
6. RocketSat Can Configuration:
5 Plate Stack Attached to Can Bottom Bulkhead

25. Split Barrel Section Added and attached to Bottom Bulkhead (8 Places)
6. RocketSat Can Configuration:
Split Barrel Section Added and attached to Bottom Bulkhead (8 Places)

26. Assembled can with payload ~20 pounds
6. RocketSat Can Configuration:
5 Plate Stack Stand-offs attached to Top Lid. Barrel Section attached to Top Lid (8 Places)
Assembled can with payload ~20 pounds

27. 6. RocketSat Can Configuration:
Bottom Bulkhead

28. 6. RocketSat Can Configuration:
Barrel Section

29. 6. RocketSat Can Configuration:
Top Lid
Colorado Space Grant Consortium
Virginia Space Grant Consortium

30. 7. Can Integration to Launch Vehicle:
Use of standard can will simplify integration
3 longerons and 5 Sub-SEM Rings
Can #1 integrated and bolted to Sub-SEM Ring
Colorado Space Grant Consortium
Virginia Space Grant Consortium

31. 7. Can Integration to Launch Vehicle:
Use of standard can will simplify integration
Can #2 integrated and bolted to Sub-SEM Ring
Electrical Connections to Latching Relays run down side of Cans and through inner diameter of Sub-SEM Ring
Colorado Space Grant Consortium
Virginia Space Grant Consortium

32. 7. Can Integration to Launch Vehicle:
Can #3 has camera payload
(See Section #9)
Use of standard can will simplify integration
Can #3 integrated and bolted to Sub-SEM Ring
Electrical Connections to Latching Relays run down side of Cans and through inner diameter of Sub-SEM Ring
Colorado Space Grant Consortium
Virginia Space Grant Consortium

33. 7. Can Integration to Launch Vehicle:
Use of standard can will simplify integration
Can #4 integrated and bolted to Sub-SEM Ring
Electrical Connections to Latching Relays run down side of Cans and through inner diameter of Sub-SEM Ring
Colorado Space Grant Consortium
Virginia Space Grant Consortium

34. 7. Can Integration to Launch Vehicle:
Can #5 has different payload to test standard concept for next year’s workshop
(See Section #9)
Use of standard can will simplify integration
Can #5 integrated and bolted to Sub-SEM Ring
Electrical Connections to Latching Relays run down side of Cans and through inner diameter of Sub-SEM Ring
Colorado Space Grant Consortium
Virginia Space Grant Consortium

35. 7. Can Integration to Launch Vehicle:
4th Longeron is added after all electrical connections have been made
~1.0” – 2.0” between top of can and Sub-SEM ring
Colorado Space Grant Consortium
Virginia Space Grant Consortium

36. 7. Can Integration to Launch Vehicle:
Static and Dynamic port needed here.
(See Section 9)
Rocket skin is attached.
Estimated Rocket skin length is ~66 inches.
This does not include area for latching relays or other Wallops equipment.
View port needed here.
(See Section 9)
Colorado Space Grant Consortium
Virginia Space Grant Consortium

37. 8. Testing:
Boulder:
3d Modeling in Solidworks Yields Preliminary Center of Gravity
Functional Tests by System During Integration
Testing of Completed Payload:
Mission Simulation
Moments Around 2 Orthogonal Axes - CG
Correlation of Measured CG to Simulated

38. 8. Testing: Wallops Space Center:
Spin – Measure CG, Moment of Inertia (Single Disc)
Vibration – Single Payload Disc on Vibration Table
Bending – 5-Payload Can in Simulated Rocket Body
This testing will occur with students during the week of March 24 – 27, 2008 at Wallops

39. 9. Special Requests: Request #1
Substitute 2 Workshop experiment decks in one can and replace it with a camera deck to record flight for participants
Can CG will be same as other can but this requires a view port

40. 9. Special Requests: Request #2
One of the goals of the workshop is to help develop a standard package to launch future sounding rocket payloads
This concept is part of the sustainability for future workshops at Wallops
Each future workshop would fly 1 – 3 paying customers (previous workshop participants) payloads in a RocketSat Can
Would like to demonstrate this concept on the first flight with the 5th Can
This is payload is called RocketSat IV and is a CU undergraduate student payload being developed since September 2007

41. 9. Special Requests: Request #2
RocketSat IV has the following Mission Statement
RocketSat IV will expand the knowledge of the composition of the upper atmosphere by measuring the concentrations of carbon dioxide and methane above 30km.
- RocketSat IV would have a balanced CG and require no power or telemetry.
- RocketSat IV would have the same weight as a normal Workshop Can (10 lbs)
- RocketSat IV would be contained in the same Can system being used during the workshop
- RocketSat IV would require a dynamic and static pressure port to sample atmosphere from apogee until a unspecified time before parachute deployment

42. 9. Special Requests: Request #2
- RocketSat IV consists of stainless steel tubing

43. 9. Special Requests: Request #2
- The tubing is vacated at apogee
- As pressure increases, air is forced into the tube, compresses, and remains in the order that it was sampled
- Sample is analyzed using laser analyzer after the flight
Air

44. 9. Special Requests: Request #2
- Two sections of tubing will be used to collect separate samples from different durations of the flight.
- One tubing will collect atmosphere from apogee to 30km where it will be sealed
- The second tubing will collect atmosphere from apogee to just before the parachute deploys.
Dynamic pressure port
- Sample the low density air more effectively, we need to have dynamic pressure force air into the tubing.
Static pressure port
- For sampling purposes, we need a static pressure port to measure ambient pressure to identify the altitude.

45. 9. Special Requests: Request #2

46. 10. Summary of Final Configuration
- Internal Configuration

47. 10. Summary of Final Configuration
- Integrated Can Configuration
Cans 1, 2, and 4

48. 10. Summary of Final Configuration
- Integrated Can Configuration
Can 3

49. 10. Summary of Final Configuration
- Integrated Can Configuration
Can 5

50. 10. Summary of Final Configuration
- Launch Vehicle Integration

51. 10. Summary of Final Configuration
- Skin with two access areas for:
1 View port
1 Static port
1 Dynamic port
Total payload weight with cans ~100 pounds
Payload section ~66 inches long
Launch scheduled for June 27, 2008