University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Illinois Space Society Student Launch Proposal September 20, 2017

Transcription

1 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Illinois Space Society Student Launch Proposal September 20, 2017 Illinois Space Society 104 S. Wright Street Room 18C Urbana, Illinois 61801

2 Table of Contents 1 GENERAL INFORMATION Team Management Subteam Definitions Structures & Recovery Subteam Payload Subteam Non-Technical Subteams NAR Mentorship FACILITIES & EQUIPMENT Overview Design Workspaces Construction Workspaces Talbot Undergraduate Facilities Other Manufacturing Facilities Facility Safety Features Accessibility Launch Sites SAFETY Safety Plan Overview Safety Briefings Risk Assessment Overview Personnel Hazard Analysis Member Requirements & Training Failure Mode and Effects Analysis Environmental Analysis Emergency Preparedness NAR Mentor Regulation Compliance TECHNICAL DESIGN Overview Design Summary Recovery... 30

3 4.1.3 System Performance Risk Analysis Projected Mass Statement Planned Construction Methods Simulation Methods Payload Design Summary Competition Requirements Risk Analysis Planned Prototyping & Testing EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH Overview Planned Outreach Opportunities Illinois Space Day Engineering Open House Miscellaneous Events PROJECT PLAN Timeline Budget Funding Sources APPENDIX A: Acronyms APPENDIX B: ISS Technical Team Safety Policy APPENDIX C: Educational Event Feedback Form APPENDIX D: NAR High-Power Rocket Safety Code APPENDIX E: Federal Aviation Regulations 14 CFR, Subchapter F, Part 101, Subpart C Amateur Rockets... 85

4 List of Figures Figure 1: 18A Workspace... 4 Figure 2: 18B Workspace... 5 Figure 3: 18C Storage Area... 5 Figure 4: Certificate of Completion Figure 5: Full rocket as it would sit on the launch pad Figure 6: Dimensioned drawings of the rocket and individual fin Figure 7: Thrust curve of the L1300R-P motor Figure 8: Motor Mount Tube CAD Figure 9: AeroPack 75mm Flanged Motor Retainer Figure 10: Coupler Figure 11: Nosecone Recovery Placement Figure 12: U-Bolt for Parachute Attachment Figure 13: StratoLogger Figure 14: TeleMetrum Figure 15: Flight Profile Figure 16: Stability Margin Figure 17: Fin Configuration Figure 18: OpenRocket Design Figure 19: Sample rocket modeled in RockSim V Figure 20: Rover Design Figure 21: Rover Figure 22: Rover (With Sled) Side View Figure 23: Rover Top View Figure 24: Rover Back, Isometric View Figure 25: Rover Body Link Figure 26: Rover Body Link Side View (left), and Top View (right) Figure 27: Lazy Susan Mechanism Figure 28: Deployed Solar Cell Position on Rover Figure 29: Storage Configuration of Solar Cells Figure 30: Wire Configuration of Arduino, Battery, and Motors Figure 31: Lazy Susan, Rover, and Servo Figure 32: Rover Locking Mechanism Figure 33: Arduino Program Flow Chart Figure 34: Sender Figure 35: Receiver Figure 36: Upper Rocket Section Breakdown Figure 37: Rover Orientation Mechanism Structure Figure 38: Fixed Rotation Structure Figure 39: Rover Locking Mechanism Figure 40: ISD Logo Figure 41: ISD Registration Tables... 71

5 Figure 42: Orbital Simulator Demonstration Figure 43: Egg Drop Competition Figure 44: EOH Demonstrations (from top left down), Hybrid Rocket Demo, Technical Projects Exhibit, and Liquid Nitrogen Demo Figure 45: Boy Scout Merit Badge Clinic... 74

6 List of Tables Table 1: Risk Assessment Codes (RACs)... 8 Table 2: Level of Risk and Member Requirements... 8 Table 3: Severity Definitions... 8 Table 4: Probability Definitions... 9 Table 5: Personnel Hazard Analysis Table 6: Vehicle Requirements Table 7: Recovery Requirements Table 8: Airframe Material Comparison Table 9: Fin Material Comparison Table 10: L1300R-P Motor Characteristics Table 11: Performance Characteristics of Chosen Parachutes Table 12: Mass Under Each Parachute By Section Table 13: Terminal Velocity of Each Section of the Vehicle Table 14: Kinetic Energy of Each Section of the Vehicle at Impact Table 15: Stop Light Chart for Structures and Recovery Table 16: Structures and Recovery Associated Risks Table 17: Mass Breakdown of Structures Table 18: Tentative Building Schedule Table 19: Deployable Rover Requirements Table 20: Stop Light Chart for Rover Payload Table 21: Rover Payload Associated Risks Table 22: Rover Testing Table 23: Project Milestones and Expected Completion Dates Table 24: Project Expenses Table 25: Funding Sources... 78

7 1 GENERAL INFORMATION 1.1 Team Management Project Manager Andrew Koehler Phone: (217) Acting Safety Officer Courtney Leverenz All Management Andrew Koehler Project Manager Courtney Leverenz Acting Safety Officer Connor Acting Structures & Recovery Manager Destiny Acting Payload Manager Sara Administrative Assistant Elena Educational Outreach Manager Adult Mentor Mark Joseph, NAR Section 527, Level 2 Certification markjos@illinois.edu Phone: (217)

8 1.2 Subteam Definitions In order to facilitate management of the Illinois Space Society (ISS) Student Launch team, students are divided into multiple subteams dedicated to particular project tasks. These subteams are each led by appointed student leads, who are then managed at the highest level by the Project Manager. This year s Project Manager will be Andrew Koehler, a senior in aerospace engineering with three years of experience in the Student Launch competition. The Project Manager s responsibilities include leading weekly team meetings, ordering parts, organizing design reviews, guiding vehicle/payload integration, and communicating with NASA. Each subteam is headed by a student subteam lead, whose responsibilities include day-to-day management of tasks, leading subteam meetings, and managing build sessions. Subteam lead positions include Safety Officer, Structures & Recovery Manager, Payload Manager, Administrative Assistant, and Educational Outreach Manager. This year s Administrative Assistant and Educational Outreach Manager have already been chosen, and the Project Manager is currently conducting interviews for the positions of Safety Officer, Structures & Recovery Manager, and Payload Manager. Final decisions for these three positions will be released in the next week, and until then experienced members have been selected as acting subteam leads. Separate weekly meetings will be standard for the Structures & Recovery and Payload groups, with specific meetings for the Safety, Administrative, and Educational Outreach subteams scheduled as needed. In addition, the entire ISS team will meet once a week to review the status of the project as a whole. Subteam-specific responsibilities are discussed in more detail below Structures & Recovery Subteam The Structures & Recovery subteam is responsible for the design, construction, and testing of the launch vehicle. As the interview process continues for an official subteam lead, Connor is currently serving as the acting Structures & Recovery Manager. Connor is a sophomore in aerospace engineering and has significant experience in high-power rocketry after leading a team to third place in last year s Space Grant Midwest High-Power Rocketry Competition. Structures & Recovery work this semester will focus primarily on finalizing the design of the rocket through additional simulations, culminating in the launch of the subscale vehicle in December. In the spring, the subteam will shift focus to construction of the final vehicle in preparation for a test flight in February. Key technical personnel include Brian, Andrew, Gabriel, and Tiger Payload Subteam The Payload subteam is responsible for the design, construction, and testing of the deployable rover payload. In the interim period before an official subteam lead is selected, Destiny has been designated acting Payload Manager. Destiny has previously worked on both G-, J-, and K-class rockets and was a key design team member in last year s NASA Micro-g NExT competition, and she has extensive coding experience in the MATLAB environment. Similar to Structures & Recovery, the Payload team will focus primarily on design work this semester and then construction in the spring. Particular emphasis will be placed on training team members in the 2

9 Arduino coding environment. Key technical personnel include Ryan, Ben, Tiger, Noah, Saif, Sara, and John Non-Technical Subteams The ISS Student Launch project includes three non-technical groups, namely the Safety, Administrative, and Educational Outreach subteams. The Safety subteam, currently led by Courtney, is responsible for implementing a team-wide safety plan, educating students on proper safety protocol, and monitoring safety concerns during build sessions. Courtney is serving as acting Safety Officer in the interim while official interviews conclude for the position. An additional group of students, the Administrative subteam, will be led by Sara and focus on creating a project website and promoting the team through social media. The final non-technical subteam, Educational Outreach, will be led by Elena and work to schedule educational events and further community outreach. Both Sara and Elena have been confirmed as official, year-long leads. Due to the more intermittent nature of non-technical work, the three non-technical subteams will meet during weekly full team meetings or separately as needed. 1.3 NAR Mentorship As in previous years, the ISS Student Launch team will be receiving mentorship from Central Illinois Aerospace (CIA), an active high-power rocketry club in the Champaign-Urbana area. The team s official NAR mentor will be Mark Joseph, a CIA member who has worked with the team the last several years and is familiar with the Student Launch competition. Mark will assist the team by reviewing design materials, inspecting vehicle construction, storing energetics, and locating appropriate launch sites for both the subscale and full-scale test flights. For reference, CIA is Section 527 of the National Association of Rocketry (NAR). 2 FACILITIES & EQUIPMENT 2.1 Overview The team members of the ISS Student Launch team will have various resources to ensure that the vehicle and payload can be assembled and up to the safety standards upheld by NASA organizers. The team will have workspaces and equipment provided by the University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign. For vehicle launches, the team will work with Central Illinois Aerospace to obtain a field suitable for high-power rocketry. 2.2 Design Workspaces During the design phase of the competition, the ISS Student Launch team will be meeting weekly in classrooms or conference rooms to collaborate and share ideas for the vehicle and the payload subsystems. Each team member can choose whether to work on the payload, vehicle, or both and then attend those respective meetings once a week. These meetings are commonly held in Talbot Laboratory, the Aerospace Engineering building at the University of Illinois. Weekly reservations are set in place for the subteam meetings each week, as well as one full team meeting each week. 3

10 Using this system, each subteam can focus on either the vehicle or the payload, and then the two teams can work on payload/vehicle integration and design improvements during the full team meetings. The classrooms and conference rooms used by the teams are equipped with chalkboards, whiteboards, projectors, and enough seating to properly fulfill the team s needs. 2.3 Construction Workspaces The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign s Aerospace Department offers Registered Student Organizations (RSOs), including the Illinois Space Society, access to three undergraduate laboratories in the basement of Talbot Laboratory. The construction of the rocket and the payload will take place in these labs. If the need arises for additional workspace, the team will request use of other facilities Talbot Undergraduate Facilities The University of Illinois s Aerospace Department offers aerospace RSOs the ability to use laboratory space in Rooms 18A, 18B, and 18C. These labs are maintained by the Aerospace Department and managed by Dr. Brian Woodard, the director of undergraduate programs for the Aerospace Department. Dr. Woodard is readily available to provide training on how to properly utilize the equipment in the facilities and ensures that the labs are up to the proper safety standards. The first facility, Room 18A, is a lab that includes four 3D printers, a laser cutter, work benches, other tools, and adhesives. The 3D printers are free to use and will give the team the ability to manufacture additive components at no cost and prototype the payload with ease. The laser cutter can be used for properly cutting fiberglass/wood fins, bulkheads, avionics bay, and more. The work benches can be used for non-epoxy related construction and include vices at the end of the benches. This facility also includes tools such as socket sets, blades, rulers, and more for the team s use, free of charge. An image of the 18A facility is included in Figure 1 below. Figure 1: 18A Workspace 4

11 The second workspace used by the ISS Student Launch team is Room 18B. This lab includes work benches, a table saw, a sander, and more tools. The primary use of this lab for the competition will be for cutting, sanding, and applying epoxy. The team is allowed to use the workbenches for that purpose. The sander will allow the team to sand the sides of rods and tubing to ensure clean cut connections, and wood cutting can be done with the table saw in this lab. Another tool cabinet is included in this facility which includes similar tools that 18A houses. Room 18B is displayed below in Figure 2. Figure 2: 18B Workspace The final lab space is Room 18C. This room serves primarily as a storage space for the aerospace RSOs rather than a lab itself. The ISS Student Launch team will store all project-related construction materials, including tools owned by the society, in its designated space within this lab. ISS-owned tools include power drills, wrenches, Dremel rotary tools, soldering sets, screwdrivers, drill bit sets, and more. This storage space requires key card access given only to the project leads and subteam leads. This ensures that all of the rocketry and payload components as well as the tools are protected. The 18C facility can be seen below in Figure 3. Figure 3: 18C Storage Area 5

12 2.3.2 Other Manufacturing Facilities For more precise work that cannot be achieved in the undergraduate workspaces, the university houses various facilities that can assist the team throughout the course of the competition. If machining is needed, there are multiple machine shops located around campus. The team will contact the School of Chemical Sciences machine shop, which has worked with ISS previously and delivered quality machined parts. A composite laboratory in Talbot Laboratory is also available for the team s use for custom composite fabrication. This lab includes a diamond saw which can be used for cutting the fins from a sheet of fiberglass. For improved 3D printing capabilities, the team has identified various 3D printing shops that can print parts with greater density or size than the ones located in 18A. 2.4 Facility Safety Features Each of the undergraduate facilities is equipped and maintained to facilitate safe building practices for the work the team will be undertaking. Both team and subteam leads, as well as the Safety subteam itself, will ensure that members working on rocket construction have been trained to use all required tools. They will promote safety throughout the construction process and be aware of possible hazards in order to minimize the risk of injury. Various safety equipment is offered to promote safe handling of tools and prevent user injury. To prevent hearing loss during the use of loud equipment, earplugs are available for use. For hand protection, especially when applying adhesives such as epoxy, the Illinois Space Society maintains a stock of latex-free gloves. When handling any equipment that can present an eye hazard, goggles are available and are required to be worn in the facilities. A full face shield is available for use when handling the sander. Respirators are required when working with harmful dust particles, such as the cutting of the fiberglass fins. The main active workspaces, 18A and 18B, are equipped with hand soap and water so that users can clean any object debris off their hands. Finally, if any minor injuries occur, the labs are equipped with the necessary first aid equipment. These first aid kits include bandages and hydrogen peroxide to clean and cover any cuts. In the event of a fire, the labs are equipped with fire extinguishers in each room, and multiple exits are available if needed Accessibility The ISS Student Launch team ensures that all its facilities are easily accessible. The classrooms, conference rooms, and workspaces are available at all times of the day to every team member. Card access is required for team members after work hours. Ramps and elevators are in place to ensure full handicap accessibility to meeting spaces, and room signs include translation to written braille. 2.5 Launch Sites As discussed previously, the ISS Student Launch team will be working with Central Illinois Aerospace (CIA), a local NAR chapter, to access fields necessary for the subscale and full-scale test flights. CIA organizes bimonthly launches and has had great success in obtaining multiple fields and FAA waivers for high-power rocketry launches, including some fields that can support 6

13 a target apogee of one mile. These launch sites include local parks and local farms. Target drift distances are modified depending on the size of the launch site in order to avoid damage to persons or property. 3 SAFETY 3.1 Safety Plan Overview Safety is a top priority for not only the ISS Student Launch team, but for all members throughout ISS. The acting Safety Officer is Courtney Leverenz, who will monitor and analyze any threats the team may encounter throughout the competition until an official Safety Officer can be chosen. Courtney is a sophomore in aerospace engineering and is First Aid, CPR, and AED certified. Last year Courtney, as part of the NASA Micro-g NExT competition, analyzed hazards in regards to that team s tool. The safety subteam will minimize dangers through training certificates and safety meetings that will be a requirement of all team members. Written documentation of procedures and members that are certified to handle certain equipment will be present during the construction sessions. This will assure that everything functions adequately and that, in the rare case where something was to go wrong, there will be someone who can safely troubleshoot and find a solution Safety Briefings Once build sessions commence, briefings will be conducted by the subteam leads, Safety Officer, and Project Manager to express hazards and dangers involved in each particular build session. Awareness of team members will be essential. If any team member has any concerns throughout competition, they will contact a team management member. 3.2 Risk Assessment Overview As construction will begin later in the first semester and will continue into the second semester, the Student Launch team has preemptively examined hazards the team and project will face. The safety subteam used Risk Assessment Codes (RACs), introduced in Table 1, to review and classify the wide range of hazards to both personnel and the project throughout construction, testing, and launch/recovery operations. Risks have been color-coded based on severity, with team risk-response requirements outlined in Table 2. Severity and Probability levels are defined in Table 3 and Table 4, respectively, with severity definitions in terms of Personnel Safety, Project Success, and Environmental Impact. 7

14 Table 1: Risk Assessment Codes (RACs) Severity Probability 1 Catastrophic 2 Critical 3 Marginal 4 Negligible A - Frequent 1A 2A 3A 4A B - Probable 1B 2B 3B 4B C - Occasional 1C 2C 3C 4C D - Remote 1D 2D 3D 4D E - Improbable 1E 2E 3E 4E Table 2: Level of Risk and Member Requirements Level of Risk High Risk Moderate Risk Low Risk Minimal Risk Level of Training and Supervision Required Highly undesirable. The risk factor will be compared with the importance to the success of the project. Procedure or equipment operation must be done by the Safety Officer or Project Manager, or under their direct supervision. Undesirable. Procedure or equipment operation requires documented approval from Safety Officer and Project Manager in the form of training and proof of online safety training completion. Procedure or equipment operation requires supervision. Acceptable. Procedure or equipment operation requires training, but no direct oversight is necessary. Acceptable. Procedure or equipment operation require almost no training and no direct oversight. Instruction is highly recommended for new members. Table 3: Severity Definitions Description Personnel Safety Project Success Environmental 1 Catastrophic Loss of life or permanent injury. Loss of or irreparable damage to launch vehicle. Failure to meet critical mission goals. Irreversible and severe damage that violates law or regulation. Loss of project. 8

15 2 Critical Severe injury or illness requiring hospitalization. 3 Marginal Minor injury or operationrelated illness. No hospitalization required. 4 Negligible Very minor injury or operation-related illness. Severe but reparable damage to launch vehicle. Failure to meet critical mission goals. Reparable damage to launch vehicle. Failure to meet noncritical mission goals. Minor or cosmetic damage to launch vehicle. All mission goals successfully met. Reversible damage to environment that violates law or regulation. Significant damage to project. Reversible damage to environment that does not violate law or regulation. Minor damage done to project. Minimal effect on environment or project. Description A Frequent B Probable C Occasional D Remote Table 4: Probability Definitions Definition Highly likely to occur in any individual session and likely to be experienced continuously throughout the course of the project. Likely to occur in any individual session and expected to occur regularly throughout the course of the project. Expected to occur a few times throughout the course of the project. Unlikely to occur in any individual session but expected to occur once throughout the course of the project. E Improbable Highly unlikely to occur in any individual session and not expected to occur throughout the course of the project. 9

16 3.2.1 Personnel Hazard Analysis Before construction of any part of the project, the team management will provide a presentation on personal hazards along with instructions of usage of tools and facilities. The presentation will consist of risks that team members could potentially face. The presentation will entail specifics for each subteam as well as details all team members are subject to encounter. Table 5 gives an analysis of personnel-related hazards. Table 5: Personnel Hazard Analysis Risk Cause Impact Mitigation Trips, slips, and miscellaneous accidents Exposure to high voltage Cluttered lab space and distractions in the workspace Contact with exposed electrical equipment and outlets Ranges from minor cuts and scrapes to severe injuries including concussions and broken bones 1) Possible fire hazard 2) Electric shock can cause severe burns, muscle pains, seizures, and death. 1) Keep work area clean, well-lit, and organized. 2) Place clearly-visible signs where tripping or slipping hazards exist. Spills should be mopped up immediately. 3) Do not operate any power tools in volatile environments. 4) Do not operate machinery that poses any threat of danger in the presence of distractions. 1) Make sure team knows proper grounding procedures. 2) Ensure safety of equipment and workspace before handling live circuit boards, power tools, or electrical cords. RAC w/ Mitigation 3D 1E Verification General lab safety procedures have been emphasized in the ISS Tech Team Safety Policy, available in Appendix C. Universityprovided Laboratory Safety Training course completed by all team members. 10

17 Risk Cause Impact Mitigation Falling objects from high shelves Injury from use of diamond cutting saw Improperly retrieving construction supplies stored on adaptable shelving units 1) Injuries can occur if hands slip or if they are placed too close to the saw. 2) Kickbacks can occur if blade height is not correct or if the blade is not maintained properly. 3) The cutting action of the blade may throw wood chips or other material splinters. Head trauma, ranging from minor cuts and scrapes to a possible concussion 1) Minor irritation up to severe injury to eyes due to flying debris 2) Severe lacerations to hands if placed in running diamond saw 1) Emphasize steady footing when retrieving heavy boxes or other supplies from high shelves. 2) Encourage team members to ask for help should they require it. 1) Use a guard always and use a push stick to cut small pieces of material. Keep hands out of the line of cut. 2) Make sure blade height is correct before cutting, maintain and sharpen blade, and stand at the side of the saw blade to avoid injury in case of kickback. 3) Remove cracked blades from service, maintain sharp blades, and always wear eye protection when using the table saw. 4) Only those with proper training will be permitted to operate the table saw. RAC w/ Mitigation 2E 2D Verification General lab safety procedures have been emphasized in the ISS Tech Team Safety Policy, available in Appendix C. To be presented in safety briefings. 11

18 Risk Cause Impact Mitigation Injury from use of 3D printer Looking at laser cutter station during operation Power drill slippage 1) Hot surfaces, namely the printer head block and UV lamp 2) Printing materials such as thermoplastics can be flammable. Lasers emit high levels of energy. Dull drill bits are hard to handle and prone to slippage. Minor burns to skin Possible damage to vision, with the severity depending on duration of viewing Mild lacerations or puncture wounds to hands and other extremities 1) Keep body parts away from 3D printer when it is in use. 2) Only those with proper training will be permitted to operate the 3D printer. 1) Team members will be instructed not to look at the laser cutting station when it is in use. 2) Only those with proper training will be permitted to operate the laser cutter. 1) Always keep drill bits sharp. 2) Drill small pilot holes before drilling large holes. 3) Make sure the chuck is securely tightened before use. RAC w/ Mitigation 3E 4D 3D Verification To be presented in safety briefings. To be presented in safety briefings. To be presented in safety briefings. 12

19 Risk Cause Impact Mitigation Slippage of reciprocating saw Pricking from needles and syringes (used for application of epoxy) 1) Cutting material using only tip of cutting blade 2) Forcing blade through improper material 3) Failing to keep personnel clear of the area beneath the saw Mishandling of needles and syringes Moderate to severe skin lacerations 1) Slight cuts or puncture wounds 2) Needle stick injuries can cause exposure to blood and other infectious materials. 1) Cut with the entire blade to reduce the risk of the blade tip breaking off 2) Only use cutting blade with approved materials. Never force the blade. 3) Keep arms and legs clear of the area directly beneath the saw. 1) Exercise proper care when dealing with needles. 2) Dispose of all needles properly in sharps containers. RAC w/ Mitigation 3D 3E Verification To be presented in safety briefings. To be presented in safety briefings. 13

20 Risk Cause Impact Mitigation Contact with operating Dremel tool bits Skin injury and respiratory issues from working with Blue Tube 2.0 Skin injury and respiratory issues from working with fiberglass 1) Sharp, fast rotating objects 2) Bits can fail and create shrapnel when cutting hard material. 1) Blue Tube can have sharp edges when cut. 2) Any dust generated during cutting can be an eye irritant. 1) Splinters from freshly cut fiberglass can puncture skin. 2) Fiberglass dust is very hazardous and hard to avoid when cutting or sanding. 1) Cuts, scrapes, and other mild skin injuries 2) Eye injuries from flying debris Mild eye irritation or skin damage 1) Can cause irritation of the eyes and skin. 2) Dust is dangerous to inhale and can cause respiratory issues when cutting or sanding down. 1) Keep bystanders away while operating this tool. 2) Do not operate in explosive environments, such as in the presence of flammable liquid or dust. 3) Make sure members wear eye protection and are aware of the proper bits to use for different types of materials. 1) Use gloves when handling Blue Tube that has been recently cut, before it is sanded. 2) Wear surgeon s mask when sanding Blue Tube. 1) When cutting or sanding fiberglass, gloves, goggles, and a respirator must be worn at all times. 2) Fiberglass will only be cut and sanded in properly ventilated areas that are approved by the safety officer. RAC w/ Mitigation 4B 3E 3D Verification To be presented in safety briefings. Gloves will be worn when handling freshlycut tube sections. To be presented in safety briefings. 14

21 Risk Cause Impact Mitigation Accidental dispersion or ignition of black powder Exposure to RocketPoxy Improper handling of black powder or storage in non-approved containers Epoxy is a toxic substance and not safe to touch directly. Its fumes are harmful as well. 1) Possible bodily injuries such as skin burns 2) Respiratory issues if inhaled Can cause irritant contact dermatitis and allergic reactions if it comes in contact with skin. Hands, wrists, and eyes are the most exposed areas. 1) Black powder should be stored only in approved containers. 2) Only the minimum amount of powder needed should be kept in the open. The main container should be kept separate from the primary lab space. 3) Open flames and heat sources are strictly prohibited in the lab space when black powder is present. Black powder will only be handled by the team mentor or any other member with the proper certification to work with black powder. 1) Gloves will always be worn when working with epoxy and changed at any sign of damage. 2) Goggles will be worn when mixing epoxy to avoid splashing into the eyes. 3) Uncured epoxy is to be treated as hazardous waste and disposed of as such. RAC w/ Mitigation 2E 3D Verification To be presented in safety briefings. To be presented in safety briefings. 15

22 Risk Cause Impact Mitigation Chemical burns from ignition of the rocket motor Smoke inhalation Hearing damage from overuse of power tools Mishandling and/or faulty installation of the rocket motor, leading to premature ignition of the motor s fuel grains Members working on ejection charge testing could inhale smoke from the charges. Improper use of hearing protection Second to thirddegree skin burns Prolonged irritation to respiratory system Potentially permanent hearing damage if exposure is long enough 1) Ensure that the team mentor will be working with all components related to the motor, as per regulations. 2) Ensure that the minimum distance table is consulted before all launches and tests of the motor. 1) Ensure all members are wearing personal protective equipment including masks and goggles. 2) Make sure all charge testing is done with the assistance of the team mentor. Ensure that all members using (or in the vicinity of) power tools wear ear plugs or safety headphones. RAC w/ Mitigation 2E 3E 1E Verification See 3.3: Error! Reference source not found. During charge testing, team mentor will be present and all team members will stand far back from vehicle to avoid inhaling smoke. Ear plugs will be worn when using any tools over a certain noise level. 16

23 Risk Cause Impact Mitigation Inhalation of spray paint propellant Collision of descending vehicle component with spectators Sunburn Spray painting a component with no ventilation or little to no airflow 1) Improperly angled launch rail 2) Recovery system failure or insufficiently large parachute, causing rapid descent rate Intense UV rays Dizziness, loss of consciousness, and potential brain damage Blunt force trauma and possible concussion Personnel could get severe sunburn, sun poisoning, and or skin cancer in the future. Ensure that there is proper ventilation and airflow in painting areas. All painting should ideally be done in an outdoor environment. 1) Monitor launch day wind speed and rail angle to ensure vehicle descends sufficiently far from spectators. 2) Size parachute appropriately to ensure safe descent speeds. 3) Implement redundancy in all aspects of the vehicle recovery system. 4) Keep a small noisemaker (e.g. an air horn) on hand at launch to alert spectators of any imminent hazards. Plenty of sunscreen will be made available to anyone outside. The danger that the sun can cause will be stressed to all team members. RAC w/ Mitigation 3E 2E 3C Verification All painting work for the subscale rocket will be conducted outside. A similar technique will be used for the full-scale vehicle. Parachutes have all been sized to provide safe descent speeds. Countdowns will be given prior to both the subscale and full-scale test flights to alert spectators of upcoming launches. Updates on weather conditions will be distributed to the team prior to both the subscale and full-scale test flights. 17

24 3.2.2 Member Requirements & Training To participate in a project such as Student Launch, students are required by the University of Illinois to complete mandatory safety training that is called Laboratory Safety Training. The Laboratory Safety Training course provides procedures for laboratory safety, laboratory signs and labels, personal protective equipment (PPE), working with biological/chemical/radiological materials, waste disposal, and emergency preparedness. Figure 4 displays the training certificate that all team members will receive. Furthermore, team members will read, sign, and date a contract with the safety lead in order to have the ability to participate in builds and attend launch. The contract will include general safety risks and the NAR High Power Rocket Safety Code, available in Appendix D. Finally, the Student Launch team will abide by rules in the ISS Tech Team Safety Policy, which can be referenced in Appendix C Failure Mode and Effects Analysis Figure 4: Certificate of Completion The Student Launch team understands and is aware that specific elements involved with the rocket and payload have the ability to malfunction. The ISS Student Launch team have predicted components that have a probability to fail. The team will run multiple tests to try to mitigate these risks. Table 6 and Table 7, displayed below, comprise the preliminary Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) for the vehicle and payload subsystems. 18

25 Table 6: FMEA for Vehicle Failure Cause Impact Mitigation RAC 1) Non-optimal 1) Defect in performance off motors Ensure igniter is placed Motor failure rail 2D 2) Improper in correct location 2) Vehicle does installation not launch. Parachutes do not eject Flutter in fins Retaining rings slip from desired position 1) Defect in e-match improper folding 2) Not enough black powder 1) Improper fin attachment 2) Insufficient Flutter Analysis Epoxy fails to secure rings to rocket body. Loss of vehicle 1) Potential damage to internal parts 2) Loss of vehicle Interior components may suffer damage. 1) Review launch sequence beforehand. 2) Consistent folding technique Complete a fin analysis Sufficiently coat centering rings with epoxy 1E 1D 3E Table 7: FMEA for Payload Failure Mode Effect Mitigation RAC Software components fail Improper code Rover does not properly run Test all code before launch 2E Rover fails to detach 1) Ejection charge failed 2) Misalignment from Lazy Susan Rover unable to perform challenge 1) Test ejection charge systems 2) Have code to override attachment 2D Rover fails to orient 1) Gears not meshed 2) Arduino failure Rover unable to leave upper airframe 1) CAD calculations before any machining or printing 2) Check code 2E 19

26 Unable to communicate with rover 1) Electronic Shock damage 2) Interference Rover does not leave upper airframe or unable to relay commands Shock test system before flight 2D Solar panels unable to deploy 1) Damage to rover 2) Improper code Payload will not complete required challenge Extensive pre-flight testing 3C Environmental Analysis The ISS Student Launch will safeguard the environment as best as possible. During tests and launches, the team will ensure all parts are accounted for, following a leave-no-trace methodology. All parts either remain secure or purposely detach and have the ability to be recovered. Building will be conducted on a tarp to protect the soil from any tiny components and adhesives. In the event that the ISS Student Launch team concludes with a surplus of parts, those components will be stored and recycled for future projects to prevent waste Emergency Preparedness In the event that a medical emergency presents itself, the first step will be to call emergency medical personnel. 911 will be called by a single team member, and instructions from paramedics will be relayed to another team member to help the affected individual. A third team member will clear the area to provide quick and easy access for the arriving emergency medical team. The Safety Officer will also examine and aid the individual until emergency response arrives. 3.3 NAR Mentor Mark Joseph will be the official NAR team mentor for the ISS Student Launch team in this year s competition. Similar to last year, Mark s primary role outside of general design guidance is to handle all energetics and the explosive motor fuel grains the team will use. 3.4 Regulation Compliance ISS team management will instruct all members to comply with the Federal Aviation Regulations and the NAR High Power Safety Code. The Safety Officer will study the regulations and present this information to all team members through meetings in person. The NAR High Power Rocketry Code will safeguard all participants and the environment. The Federal Aviation Requirements will require the team to follow Federal Aviation Regulations 14 CFR, Subchapter F, Part 101, Subpart C; Amateur Rockets, Code of Federal Regulation 27 Part 55: Commerce in Explosives; and fire prevention, NFPA1127, Code for High Power Rocket Motors. ; as well as any and all applicable laws. The ISS Student Launch rocket will remain in the United States, will be suborbital, and will ensure the safety of team members and the general public. Both the NAR and FAA guidelines will 20

27 be available to all team members and are included in this report in APPENDIX D: NAR High- Power Rocket Safety Code and APPENDIX E: Federal Aviation Regulations 14 CFR, Subchapter F, Part 101, Subpart C Amateur Rockets. 4 TECHNICAL DESIGN 4.1 Overview The ISS Student Launch team has selected Option 2, deployable rover, to satisfy the experiment requirement for this year s competition. This choice of payload defined the mission requirements for the high-power rocket, with its success being integral to mission success. This document contains comprehensive designs and recovery plans for a deployable rover, as well as a high-power rocket that will carry the rover to an altitude of 5,280 ft above ground level. The technical design of the system is divided into two main sections: Structures & Recovery and Payload. The Structures & Recovery section will cover the high-power rocket and how it satisfies Student Launch competition requirements in regards to the launch vehicle s flight profile, structure, and recovery system. The Payload section will describe how the rover integrates with the launch vehicle, safely deploys after landing, and drives at least five-ft. across the ground. There are a large number of systems on this rocket which all must work together to ensure mission success. The team, however, has a large amount of combined experience in every subsystem so that the design, building, and launch of the rocket should go considerably well. Building upon past experience in not just the Student Launch competition, but other competitions that the Illinois Space Society participates in, this rocket and its payload will be one of the most mechanically complex of any built in the past. The team recognizes this inherent complexity, and emphasis will be placed on pre-flight testing as well as practicing setup and launch procedures well in advance. Anticipated testing includes loading of the rover into the payload tube and identifying mounting issues, assembling the coupler and ensuring ease of use with the electronics, and ground testing of the ejection charge system and rover deployment mechanism. Ideally, the system is designed to be ready for launch within three hours Design Summary The launch vehicle will be approximately 10 ft. tall and split into four distinct sections, with a design intended to meet all handbook requirements defined in Table 6. The lower section, the booster tube, will be constructed from a 48 in. long, 6 in. diameter piece of Blue Tube 2.0. This section houses the motor mount tube, fins, and drogue parachute to ensure recovery stability. Moving upwards, the next section is a coupler and avionics bay. This coupler is also 6 in. diameter Blue Tube and is 18 in. long to provide ample space for the two altimeters inside. The coupler also has two bulkheads on either side for parachute attachment and ejection charge placement, as well as a 4 in. switch band at its center to provide space for the altimeter switches. The upper body section, the payload tube, will also be a 48 in. long, 6 in. diameter piece of Blue Tube. This tube will contain the main parachute, rover payload, rover deployment mechanisms, and nosecone parachute. The rover sits atop the main parachute bulkhead and is locked in using a custom 21

28 mechanism. The final section, and only one to physically separate from the rest of the rocket, will be the nosecone. The nosecone is approximately 2-ft. long and made of molded fiberglass. It also contains two altimeters, responsible for activating ejection charges that separate the nosecone. When the nosecone separates, a dedicated parachute will slow its descent speed to safe levels, as will the drogue and main parachutes slow the rest of the rocket body. More on recovery and the general flight plan is covered in section and Vehicle and Recovery Requirements Table 6 and Table 7 include all of the requirements for the structures and recovery subsystem as set forth by NASA, as well as the section number of the report that addresses the requirement. Table 6: Vehicle Requirements Requirement The vehicle will deliver the payload to an apogee altitude of 5,280 ft. AGL. The vehicle will carry one commercially available, barometric altimeter. Each altimeter will be armed by a dedicated arming switch that is accessible from the exterior of the rocket airframe when the rocket is in the launch configuration. Each altimeter will have a dedicated power supply. Each arming switch will be capable of being locked in the ON position for launch. The launch vehicle will be designed to be recoverable and reusable. Reusable is defined as being able to launch again on the same day without repairs or modifications. The launch vehicle will have a maximum of four independent sections. Defined as a section that is either tethered to the main vehicle or is recovered separately from the main vehicle using its own parachute. The launch vehicle will be limited to a single stage. The launch vehicle will be capable of being prepared for flight at the launch site within 3 hours of the time the FAA flight waiver opens. Requirement Source Vehicle Requirements 2.1 Vehicle Requirements 2.2 Vehicle Requirements 2.3 Vehicle Requirements 2.4 Vehicle Requirements 2.5 Vehicle Requirements 2.6 Vehicle Requirements 2.7 Vehicle Requirements 2.8 Vehicle Requirements 2.9 Section Addressed

29 The launch vehicle will be capable of remaining in launchready configuration at the pad for a minimum of 1 hour without losing the functionality of on-board components. The launch vehicle will be capable of being launched by a standard 12-volt direct current firing system. The launch vehicle will require no external circuitry or special ground support equipment to initiate launch. The launch vehicle will use a commercially available solid motor propulsion system using ammonium perchlorate composite propellant. The total impulse provided by a College and/or University launch vehicle will not exceed 5,120 N-s The launch vehicle will have a minimum stability margin of 2.0 at the point of rail exit. Rail exit is defined at the point where the forward rail button loses contact with the rail. The launch vehicle will accelerate to a minimum velocity of 52 fps at rail exit. Team will successfully launch and recover a subscale model of their rocket prior to CDR. Team will successfully launch and recover their full-scale rocket prior to FRR in its final flight configuration. The rocket flown at FRR must be the same rocket to be flown on launch day. Vehicle Requirements 2.10 Vehicle Requirements 2.11 Vehicle Requirements 2.12 Vehicle Requirements 2.13 Vehicle Requirements 2.15 Vehicle Requirements 2.16 Vehicle Requirements 2.17 Vehicle Requirements 2.18 Vehicle Requirements Table 7: Recovery Requirements Requirement The launch vehicle will stage the deployment of its recovery devices, where a drogue parachute is deployed at apogee and a main parachute is deployed at a lower altitude. Each team must perform a successful ground ejection test for both the drogue and main parachutes. Needs to be done prior to initial subscale and full-scale launches. At landing, each independent sections of the launch vehicle will have a maximum kinetic energy of 75ft-lbf. Requirement Source Recovery System Requirements 3.1 Recovery System Requirements 3.2 Recovery System Requirements 3.3 Section Addressed

30 The recovery system electrical circuits will be completely separate of the payload electronics. All electronics will be powered by commercially available batteries. The recovery system will contain a redundant, commercially available batteries. Motor ejection is not a permissible form of primary or secondary deployment. Removable shear pins will be used for both the main parachute compartment and the drogue parachute compartment. Recovery area will be limited to a 2500-ft. radius from the launch pads. An electronic tracking device will be installed in the launch vehicle and will transmit the position of the tethered vehicle or any independent section to a ground receiver. The recovery system electronics will not be adversely affected by any other on-board electronic devices during flight. Recovery System Requirements 3.4 Recovery System Requirements 3.5 Recovery System Requirements 3.6 Recovery System Requirements 3.7 Recovery System Requirements 3.8 Recovery System Requirements 3.9 Recovery System Requirements 3.10 Recovery System Requirements Material Selection Material choice for the body tube of the rocket is a vital part of the rocket s design. The main contenders for body material included Blue Tube, fiberglass, and carbon fiber. The comparisons below outline the reasoning behind the final material choices for the vehicle. Blue Tube is significantly cheaper compared to fiberglass and carbon fiber, while retaining lightweight and durable properties. Although Blue Tube is not the lightest or strongest material available for the vehicle, its properties work well for the vehicle designed by the ISS Student Launch team. The team also has significant experience and success working with Blue Tube for rocketry applications. Fiberglass is stronger than Blue Tube, but is twice as heavy and three times more expensive. On a macroscopic scale, the difference between fiberglass and Blue Tube is small. Both provide excellent properties, but Blue Tube is cheaper and easier to work with. There are also hazards associated with working with fiberglass, most notably the risk of inhaling airborne glass fibers. Carbon fiber is excellent in terms of weight and durability, and it is also easy to finish. Its price, however, is twice that of fiberglass, making it the most expensive option. Difficulty also arises from being able to cut carbon fiber correctly and taking the necessary precautions to ensure no 24

31 carbon fiber debris contaminates the system being worked on. Considering the inexperience of the team with regards to wrapping body tubes, this would likely draw out the build process. Table 8 compares the four criteria for material selection. Weight and cost data for Blue Tube and fiberglass are pulled from the Apogee Rockets website. The values for carbon fiber are taken from the Public Missiles website. Each value is given based on a 48 in. tube with a 6 in. diameter. Early contenders also included cardboard, Kraft paper, and Quantum. The first two crumpled easily and were not durable, while the latter was known to expand and contract under heat which may cause undesirable effects. Thus, these materials were not included in the table. Table 8: Airframe Material Comparison Weight (oz/48 in) Price (USD) Durability Finishing Blue Tube Fiberglass Carbon Fiber Blue Tube will be used for the body tube of the vehicle due to its low weight and cheap cost. A lighter dry mass provides more possibilities for payload design, and allows for more control of launch apogee by adding ballasts if weight or stability is in question. The cheaper cost will also free up budget for other subsystem developments. Historically, Blue Tube has been used as well for previous team designs, so factoring in the team s experience working with this material, the build process should be dramatically improved over working with carbon fiber or fiberglass. Fin material choice is a vital portion to the rocket design, affecting both the shape, durability, and flight of the rocket. Thus, comparison of multiple materials is necessary. The three materials that were considered for the design included fiberglass, aircraft plywood, and carbon fiber. Table 9 below provides an accurate comparison of the three based on a 1 ft. 2 sheet of the material with a thickness of.125 in. This data was pulled from three separate sites including Apogee Rockets, Dragon Plate, and Aircraft Spruce & Specialty Co. Table 9: Fin Material Comparison Weight (oz) Price (USD) Durability Finishing Fiberglass Aircraft Plywood Carbon Fiber

32 Based on the comparisons above, fiberglass will be used for the fins of the rocket for added durability. The vehicle's main parachute is located above the center of mass, so the fins will like make first contact with the ground upon landing. A large force acting on the fins, which are relatively thin compared to the vehicle itself, would most likely result in the shattering of a weaker material. To prevent damages that could render the rocket inoperable, fiberglass is preferred over plywood as the fin material. However, plywood was heavily considered for its low cost and ease of manufacturability. In the end, the strength and durability associated with fiberglass outweighed the benefits of plywood. While fiberglass is more expensive, the cost difference is minimal enough that using fiberglass is still realistic. Carbon fiber was also considered, but quickly ruled out due to the extremely high cost and effort required to manipulate the material. For the same reasons as mentioned earlier, the weight benefits of carbon fiber fins do not justify the added cost. The combination of the strength of fiberglass and the lower weight resulted in the decision to use this material. Finally, other structural component materials were considered. This includes the use of a nosecone, centering rings, coupler, and bulkheads. The nosecone will be a pre-bought fiberglass ogive nosecone from Apogee Rockets. All other components will be fiberglass, owing to its superior strength when compared to plywood. To attain the same strength of fiberglass, plywood would need to be layered multiple times. This means more parts to cut, assemble, and more weight when assembled with epoxy. This once again results in the choice of using fiberglass Structural Modeling The proposed system, as described in this report, uses NX10 as a modeling tool to demonstrate the completed design. Error! Reference source not found. shows the full rocket in launch pad configuration. Figure 6 displays the dimensioned drawings of the vehicle and an individual fin for reference. 26

33 Figure 5: Full rocket as it would sit on the launch pad Figure 6: Dimensioned drawings of the rocket and individual fin 27

34 Motor Subsystem The team will be using an Aerotech L1300R-P motor. This motor will fulfill all competition requirements. The reload does not expel titanium sponges, is not a hybrid motor, is not clustered, and will keep the launch vehicle below Mach 1 throughout all parts of the flight according to OpenRocket simulations. The rocket should require no special launch equipment or external circuitry to launch as well, as it utilizes a standard 12V firing system and ignitor. Having an off-rail velocity greater than 52 ft/s will ensure a stable release from a 12 ft 1515 launch rail. Simulations completed with the use of OpenRocket software show the off-rail velocity is projected to be 66.7 ft/s. The thrust-to-weight ratio is 5.6 at rail-clearance, greater than 5 which is generally considered a safe ratio. Maximum velocity, according to these same OpenRocket simulations, is 631 ft/s, or Mach Specifications of the L1300R-P motor can be found at thrustcurve.org. As seen in Error! Reference source not found. below, the motor reaches maximum thrust of lbf in about 1.4 seconds. The motor will continue to provide an average thrust of lbf with a total burn time of 3.5 seconds. The L1300R-P generates a total impulse of lbf*s. Additionally, the motor has a diameter of 3.86 in., a length of 17.4 in., a propellant weight of oz., and a total weight of oz. Table 10 displays the L1300R-P motor characteristics. Figure 7: Thrust curve of the L1300R-P motor 28

35 Table 10: L1300R-P Motor Characteristics Characteristic Motor Diameter Max Thrust Average Thrust Burn Time Total Impulse Value 3.86 in lbf lbf 3.5 s lbf*s Motor Casing The AeroTech RMS 98/5120 motor casing will be used to house the L1300R-P motor. Constructed from aluminum, the casing will experience high temperatures and force loads created by the motor. In addition, the casing will serve as the lower attachment point for the drogue parachute. The casing is in. long with an outer diameter in Motor Mount Tube The motor mount tube will be constructed of Blue Tube and used to house the motor casing and integrate the motor casing with the rocket. Three.125 in. thick G-10 fiberglass centering rings attach the motor mount tube to the outer airframe in order to keep the motor and casing relatively stable and in the proper direction. A CAD model of the motor mount tube is included below in Figure Motor Retainer Figure 8: Motor Mount Tube CAD The AeroPack motor retainer serves as the final component of the motor subsystem. Its purpose is to prevent the motor from shifting its position during flight. This aluminum component is made up of a body and a screw-on cap. The retainer body is fixed to the lowest centering ring of the motor mount tube and, after the motor case is installed in the rocket, the retainer cap is screwed onto the retainer body. This allows for quick loading and unloading of the motor casing. 29

36 Figure 9: AeroPack 75mm Flanged Motor Retainer Recovery It is necessary for the rocket to have an effective recovery system in order to have a slow enough descent to ensure the safety of both the rocket components and all attendees at the launch site. The main components of the recovery system are the three parachutes: the drogue parachute, main parachute, and nosecone parachute. This year the team will be using an 18 in. elliptical parachute from Fruity Chutes as the drogue, a 96 in. Iris Ultra as the main parachute, and a 36 in. nosecone parachute. There will be three separation events for releasing the parachutes. The first event occurs at apogee, separating the booster section from the avionics coupler and releasing the drogue parachute. This happens at a high enough altitude to ensure that the rocket slows sufficiently before the main parachute releases, but also so that it does not drift outside the 2500 ft. landing radius. Once the rocket descends to 1000 ft., the nosecone separates from the upper airframe, releasing the nosecone parachute and opening the top of the upper airframe to eventually release the payload. Finally, at 800 ft., the upper airframe will separate from the avionics coupler to release the main parachute. This altitude is high enough to give enough time for the rocket to slow down sufficiently, but also low enough to further reduce drift to under 2500 ft., meeting competition recovery requirements. For these separation events, black powder ejection charges will be used. To allow for separation, shear pins will be slotted into pre-drilled holes at the midpoint of all joints. The size and number of these shear pins will be calculated using online calculators closer to when manufacturing begins. All parachute ejections will be tested prior to both subscale and full-scale test flights. This has the advantage of allowing the team to modify how much black powder is used in the charge, based on what the team finds is optimal from ejection charge testing. The shock cord, used to connect the parachute to the various sections of the rocket after separation, needs to be able to withstand the immense force of the parachute initially slowing the descent of the rocket. For this reason, a shock cord made of 9/16 in. tubular Kevlar will be used, since this can handle forces in excess of 7,200 lbs. One end of the shock cord for the drogue parachute is connected to the eyebolt on the motor mount, and the other end is connected to the eyebolt on the lower bulkhead of the avionics coupler. The main parachute s shock cord connects to the eyebolt on the upper bulkhead of the avionics coupler and the other end connects to an eyebolt on the 30

37 upper airframe bulkhead. The shock chord for the nosecone parachute is only connected to the nosecone, as the nosecone is the only section dependent on that parachute Avionics There will be four total altimeters used on this rocket. There are two for the main parachute and drogue parachute, and two for the nosecone. Two of these are positioned in the coupler and the other two are in the nosecone. One of the two altimeters, in each avionics section, is a primary altimeter, which will signal the ejection of both the drogue and main parachutes. The second altimeter is included for redundancy, as specified in the competition requirements. Each altimeter will have its own arming switch on the exterior of the rocket. These will be key switches which will be manually locked before flight so nothing short of catastrophic failure can deactivate the altimeters. Each switch will be properly seated in the frame of the rocket and tightened down so that launch and ejection charge forces do not remove them from the rocket. These altimeters will be able to register air pressure to determine altitude and therefore activate the ejection charges to deploy the parachutes. This also means all sections of the rocket containing these altimeters will have pressure equalizing holes. This ensures accurate readings and safe deployment. All altimeters are commercially available and able to be used for official competition purposes. These altimeters are programmable through a computer and can adjust for when the parachutes will deploy. Using data from the OpenRocket model, the altimeters will be told to deploy the parachutes at the optimal time to ensure minimum forces on the rocket airframe and sufficient time for parachute unfolding. Each altimeter will be powered by its own 9V battery. Each of these will be measured before installation to ensure voltage reads above 9.0V. These batteries allow the onboard barometer and computer to capture and store data while also providing the current required to activate the ejection charges for the recovery events. Having two individual altimeter/battery systems for each event is a crucial aspect of ensuring the rocket has a high probability of being recovered properly. The electrical systems will be totally separate from the payload electronics and will be given adequate distance so that no sort of electrical interference could falsely activate the charges or mess with data. This is both for the success of the rocket and team, but more so for the safety of all attendants at the competition. The electrical configuration for each altimeter is displayed in section

38 Avionics Electrical Configuration Main Charge Main Charge 32

39 Coupler and Avionics Bay The coupler contains two of the four altimeters. These two altimeters will sit on plywood sleds. These sleds rest on threaded rods that run the entire 18 in. length of the coupler. On each end of the coupler is a.25 in. bulkhead. Each bulkhead is made of two.125 in. thick pieces epoxied together. One piece is the outer diameter of the coupler piece, and the other is the inner diameter of the coupler piece. When put together, the bulkhead sits snugly into the coupler tube. Each bulkhead has two holes in them for the threaded rod to run through. Two nuts are threaded on and tightened down to each end of each rod for reliability. Figure 10 below includes the coupler with a Stratologger and the battery. Figure 10: Coupler On each end of the coupler, attached to the bulkheads, are two ejection canisters that will hold the black powder. One ejection canister on each end will be connected to a single altimeter. This altimeter is the primary altimeter. This will be the Stratologger for its ease of use and quick adjustment. It will control the primary deployment charges for both the drogue parachute and main parachute. Controlling the other two charges, and backup deployment for the drogue and main parachutes, is the Telemetrum altimeter. In the event that the Stratologger fails, its battery disconnects, or any other form of failure, the Telemetrum will be able to deploy both parachutes. These two altimeters sit inside the coupler, behind the bulkheads and are protected from the high pressure and high heat gases from the ejection charges. The altimeters will be secured to the sled with small screws, nuts, and washers. In addition, small zip-ties will be tied around each altimeter to ensure that they are fixed to the plywood. Nosecone Recovery System The nosecone requires its own recovery system since it will be entirely separated from the rocket during descent. Again, this is to ensure that the rover has the ability to easily evacuate the upper body tube with no chance of the nosecone getting stuck in the dirt and trapping the rover. This nosecone recovery system is shown in Figure 11. The nosecone will be modified such that a small 33

40 plywood platform is placed approximately 1.5 ft. inside. This platform will have two threaded rods secured on their end to the platform. This platform is then epoxied into the nosecone such that the entire perimeter of the plywood circle is in contact with the part of the nosecone with the same diameter. The threaded rods allow a sled to be placed on them. This sled will hold the altimeters required for ejection charge activation. Avionics Bay Nosecone Parachute Location Figure 11: Nosecone Recovery Placement The altimeters used will be a StratoLogger and TeleMetrum. The TeleMetrum is able to satisfy the recovery requirement of having a tracking device on all separating sections of the rocket. At the end of the nosecone will be a fiberglass bulkhead. This bulkhead will be.25 in. thick. In order to ensure a snug fit, one piece of.125 in. fiberglass will be cut with the same outside diameter of the nosecone and the other.125 in. piece will be cut with the same inner diameter of the nosecone. These two pieces will be epoxied together to make a single piece. Holes for the threaded rod will be drilled such that nuts can be secured to the end to seal off the altimeters inside the nosecone from the harmful ejection charge blast. Holes will also be drilled for wires from each altimeter to thread to their respective ejection charge. To ensure that the altimeters inside the nosecone can measure the pressure, therefore altitude, to accurately activate the charges, small.25 in. holes will be drilled in the side. This will minimally impact the flow of air around the nosecone. The nosecone will have its own parachute to ensure safe descent and recovery. This nosecone will be packed just below the fiberglass bulkhead and in front of the rover. Through either OpenRocket or MATLAB simulations, an appropriate parachute diameter will be determined to ensure that the kinetic energy does not exceed 75 lbf upon landing. The parachute will also be protected using a small cloth of nylon wrapped burrito-style around the parachute. Packing of the parachute will be done such that the rover has the maximum amount of room should the design need to be modified Connections and Hardware All bulkheads on the rocket will be made from fiberglass, in a similar fashion to that of the nosecone. On the coupler, these bulkheads will take the shock and force of parachute deployment 34

41 and so need to be well made. These.25 in. bulkheads have been proven to work in the past on similarly sized rockets, and so it is not expected that the team will run into problems reusing the design. Because these bulkheads are protective in nature, mostly from the heated and pressurized gases of ejection charge activation, any holes on them will be sealed with sticky tack putty, which has proven to be a very effective and reliable seal on similar rockets. These bulkheads may be heavier than plywood or other materials and more hazardous to work with, but the fiberglass is more consistent in strength and better suited to stand up to the possible stresses involved with recovery. The bulkheads will have a U-bolt connection point for the parachutes to mount to. These U-bolts are approximately.25 in. in diameter and 2 in. tall, allowing ample space for the parachute linkages to attach. These U-bolts will be inserted through holes drilled into the bulkheads. On the opposite face of the bulkhead, the U-bolt will be secured with 2 nuts on each threaded rod to reduce the likelihood of vibrations shaking the connection loose and compromising the recovery system. These U-bolts are chosen over the possibly lighter I-bolts due to their ease of use and two connection points increasing strength. Figure 12 includes the U-bolt configuration on the nosecone. Figure 12: U-Bolt for Parachute Attachment The lines connecting each section of the rocket from U-bolt to parachute will be 9/16 th in. tubular Kevlar cord. Each section will be approximately twice the size of the rocket, around 20 ft. This line has proven reliable and effective on previous rockets of this size and is actually capable of withstanding even catastrophic recovery conditions. It is quite heavy and takes up a large amount of space in the rocket body, sometimes making packing parachutes difficult. Safety is above all else in this competition, however, so this is what will be used. The parachutes will be attached to the 9/16 th in. Kevlar shock cord with a 500 lbs. swivel. This swivel is strong enough to support the entire weight of the rocket under the parachute, and also allows for the rocket or parachute to rotate. This minimizes the risk of the parachute becoming 35

42 entangled in itself, diminishing its ability to slow the rocket to within a reasonable kinetic energy. This swivel point may not be as strong as a simple carabineer, but it has proven effective on rockets of similar weight in the past. The parachutes are also attached approximately 2/3 rd down the full length of the Kevlar cord. 2/3 rd Is a preferred location because the parts attached at each end of the line have a lower likelihood of slamming into each other on descent. They are knotted at this point so that they do not move up or down the line and toss the different sections around or cause possible parachute entanglement. As an overview, the drogue parachute will be attached to 9/16 th in. tubular Kevlar with a 500 lbs. swivel. This swivel will be knotted in place approximately 2/3 rd the way down the 20 ft. line. One end of the line is attached with either a self-tightening knot or carabineer to an eyebolt mounted on top of the motor casing. The other end of this line is attached to a U-bolt attached to the lower bulkhead on the avionics bay/coupler. On the upper bulkhead of the avionics bay/coupler, another 20 ft. line is attached with similar practices as the lower. The main parachute will also be attached with similar practices as the drogue. At the end of that line will be a U-bolt bolted into a bulkhead inserted in the upper body tube of the rocket. This bulkhead is the main bulkhead for the upper body tube and bears the weight of the payload and rest of the upper body tube. On the bottom of the nosecone is a bulkhead with U-bolt attached. Attached to that U-bolt is a 5-ft. long, 9/16th-in. thick Kevlar line. This attaches at the other end to the small nosecone parachute Avionics Hardware For the deployment of the parachutes, four altimeters will be used. Two of the altimeters will be located within the nose cone and the other two within the coupler section of the vehicle. Each section will have a PerfectFlite StrotoLoggerCF and an Altus Metrum TeleMetrum 2.0. Both utilize barometers and are commercially available. The primary altimeter will be the StratoLogger due to ease of use while the TeleMetrum will be used as a secondary. Each altimeter is capable of deploying chutes but two are needed to have a fully redundant system which is desired for something that is crucial for safety. The altimeters will send a current that travels from their batteries to the e-match which will ignite the black powder charge canisters utilized in recovery events StratoLogger The StratoLogger is powered by a commercially available 9-V Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS) battery that can also function for two seconds in the event of battery failure. This resistance protects the data and adds security without any added complexity. The altimeter can also be connected to a switch allowing it to be turned on from outside the rocket. A small speaker on the StratoLogger can communicate parameters about the flight before launch with a series of beeps. Such beeps will inform the team when parachutes will be deployed and that the altimeter has continuity with the e-matches. After flight, a different series of beeps will be omitted which will inform the NASA official the altitude of the flight. The StratoLogger was chosen by members of the team because past teams have had success using StratoLoggers on high velocity rockets. It also allows the team to pull altitude, flight profile, and velocity after flight. 36

43 Figure 13: StratoLogger TeleMetrum The second altimeter within the rocket will be the TeleMetrum. This altimeter is powered by lithium ion batteries which can be obtained commercially. Similar to the StratoLogger, the TeleMetrum can be operated by a switch and emits beeps both pre and post flight. This switch will also allow the altimeter to be turned off prior to the NASA official taking the official altitude reading to avoid any confusion. One advantage of the TeleMetrum is its GPS capabilities. The GPS allows the altimeter to communicate with the ground team in real time about the coordinates of the rocket. The dongle interfaces with the ground s computer via USB connection. The TeleMetrum altimeters will be used in both the coupler section and nosecone to track them and provide redundancy to the deployment of the parachutes. Prior success and experience with TeleMetrums provide confidence to the team for its use in this competition. Figure 14: TeleMetrum 37

44 4.1.3 System Performance Flight Profile The rocket s flight profile is straightforward with the exception of an added step right before landing. After ignition, the rocket will take off from the launch pad at T +0.4s and continue to burn for approximately 3.1 seconds. It will then coast for 15.1 seconds until reaching an apogee of 5,280-ft. at T +18.6s. At apogee, or slightly after, an ejection charge will activate and the drogue parachute will deploy. The rocket, in two tethered pieces (booster and coupler/upper airframe/nosecone) will descend at a rate of approximately 113-ft/s. At 1000-ft., the rocket will activate an ejection charge and the nosecone will be ejected, exposing the rover. This nosecone has a parachute attached and will descend separate from the rocket at a rate of 25-ft/s. At 800-ft., a third ejection charge will activate, deploying the main parachute. The rocket s descent rate will slow to 16-ft/s. All pieces will land, and rover deployment will begin. A diagram of the flight is shown in Figure 15. Figure 15: Flight Profile 38

45 Stability Stability is critical to rocket design due to the lack of active fins or gimbal on the current design. Therefore, the vehicle must be intrinsically stable to prevent tipping during flight. To achieve this goal, the vehicle s center of gravity (Cg) must be higher than its center of pressure (Cp), which will in turn cause airflow to induce a restoring force that naturally corrects the rocket s orientation. Insufficient separation between Cg and Cp will not produce sufficient restoring force to correct the vehicle, while a separation too great will cause the vehicle to be swayed significantly by disturbing forces and oscillate past an equilibrium position. The suitable separation between Cg and Cp is measured by the stability margin - the equation for calculating the stability margin is given as follows: Stability Margin = (Cp-Cg)/D Where D is the diameter of the rocket, and Cp and Cg are measured from the tip of the nose cone. Typically a rocket should have a stability margin of 2 calibers. A margin significantly less than 2 calibers is considered under-stable, while a margin significantly greater than 2 is considered overstable. The team used OpenRocket to calculate the stability margin of the vehicle while on the launch rail, which is 2.13 calibers, as shown in Figure 16 below. Cg and Cp are and , respectively. A stability margin of greater than 2 at launch is also in line with competition requirements. Figure 16: Stability Margin The rail exit velocity is an important factor, since restoring forces exerted on the rocket are only sufficient at high velocity. The predicted rail exit velocity provided by OpenRocket is 66.7-ft/s, exceeding the competition requirement of 52-ft/s Kinetic Energy When designing high powered rockets, it is critical to consider what terminal velocity the rocket will achieve during descent. If the rocket's descent is too fast, the hard impact with the ground could potentially damage both the exterior structure components such as fins or body tubing, as well as interior components such as avionics. The team's goal is to create a launch vehicle that is reusable. As such, parachutes must be adequately sized to limit kinetic energy of the vehicle upon impact to preserve vehicle components. This is also a limitation of the design parameters, with the maximum kinetic energy at landing of any individual section of the rocket set to be 75-ft*lbf. To determine the kinetic energy of the sections of the rocket, the terminal velocities under each parachute must be analyzed. With knowledge of the weight under the parachute, the coefficient of 39

46 drag of the chute, air density, and the chute area, the terminal velocity of the falling sections can be determined by the following relation: V t = 2mg ρac d Additionally, the density of air can be approximated as a constant of lbm/ft 3, and g is also a constant equal to ft/s 2. The team already owns both a main and a drogue chute that have been used in prior years successfully. These are the chutes that are considered for this design. Table 11: Performance Characteristics of Chosen Parachutes Recovery Device Model Cd Diameter Main Parachute Iris Ultra Drogue Parachute Fruity Chutes Elliptical Nosecone Parachute N/A Table 12: Mass Under Each Parachute By Section Section Mass (lb) Drogue/Main Parachute Section 1: Booster (dry) Section 2: Avionics Coupler 5.51 Section 3: Upper Airframe Mass Under Drogue/Main Parachute: Nosecone Parachute Section 4: Nosecone 6.93 Mass Under Payload Parachute: 6.93 Table 13: Terminal Velocity of Each Section of the Vehicle Section Terminal Velocity (ft/s) Nosecone Payload Tube/Coupler/Booster Tube The high powered rocketry community considers safe descent speed for a drogue chute descent to be between ft/s, while a safe main chute descent is considered to be between ft/s. These values fall comfortably within the range of standard safe descent speeds for the main body section. The nose cone should be safe 40

47 With terminal velocities known, kinetic energy can be calculated via the following equation: E K = 1 2 mv t 2 Where m is the mass in slugs, and vt is the terminal velocity in ft/s. Below is a table of the kinetic energy values for each of the rocket components at impact based upon the terminal velocity calculations above. Each value falls comfortably below the 75-ft*lbf. limit set by the competition. Table 14: Kinetic Energy of Each Section of the Vehicle at Impact Section Kinetic Energy (ft*lbf) Booster Tube Avionics Couper Upper Airframe Nosecone

48 4.1.4 Risk Analysis Possible structural risks are listed in Table 15. The likelihood, severity, and mitigation strategies for each are also listed. Severity and likelihood are scored on independent scales from one to five, with one being least severe/ least likely and five being most severe/ most likely. Most structural risks are not mission critical and occur infrequently. Table 15: Stop Light Chart for Structures and Recovery SR-5 SR-12 SR-9 SR-10 SR-1 SR-3 SR-2 SR-4 SR-11 SR-7 SR-8 SR-6 42

49 Table 16: Structures and Recovery Associated Risks No. Risk Consequence Mitigation Severity Likelihood SR-1 Drogue parachute ejection charge failure Drogue parachute does not deploy; possible damage to vehicle and internal Test charge systems and use redundant charges 2 1 SR-2 SR-3 Main parachute ejection charge failure Nosecone parachute ejection charge fails components Main parachute does not deploy; possible damage to vehicle and internal components; upper and lower airframe do not separate Nosecone parachute does not deploy; payload cannot exit Test charge systems and use redundant charges Test charge systems and use redundant systems SR-4 One or more fins separate during launch SR-5 Motor ignition failure SR-6 SR-7 Motor backfires or experiences severe internal anomaly Motor retainer failure on launch pad or during flight Loss of vehicle stability Vehicle fails to launch Loss of vehicle Motor is free to fall from bottom of the rocket Attach fins with multiple epoxy fillets on both the motor mount and outer airframe Ensure igniter is placed as far up the motor as possible; review launch sequence beforehand Inspect fuel grains for defects prior to motor construction; purchase motor from trusted manufacturer Secure motor retainer to lower centering ring with epoxy; ensure aft retainer cap is secure before launch

50 SR-8 SR-9 SR-10 SR-11 SR-12 Motor ignites prematurely Vehicle sections fail to separate after ejection charges Altimeters lose power during flight Outer airframe fractures during flight Vehicle sections drift far or into hazardous terrain Unexpected vehicle launch Main parachute cannot deploy No ejection charges will fire, flight data will not be recorded Stability loss; damage to internal components possible Parts of vehicle difficult to locate or become unrecoverable Keep heat sources away from vehicle at all times Calculate proper size for shear pins and ejection charges; test complete ejection system prior to launch Test altimeter systems prior to launch; confirm sufficient battery Carefully consider decision for body tube material Size parachutes accordingly to minimize drift distance Projected Mass Statement The table below presents the estimated mass breakdown of the total system as of September 20, For clarity, the mass statement has been broken up into subsystems, and a complete mass total is presented at the bottom of each table. Unknown masses are given built-in margins to allow for the possibility of future growth. However, in previous years, the team s initial mass estimations have been very accurate to the actual final rocket mass. Given the team s level of experience, and the success of and access to previous years estimates, the team is confident that this mass estimate will be accurate. This statement will be kept updated throughout the year as the rocket and payload designs are fine-tuned and optimized. Table 17: Mass Breakdown of Structures Component Total Mass [lb] Use Structure Upper Airframe 3.39 Houses payload and main parachute Booster Tube 3.66 Houses motor and fins Avionics Switch Band 0.28 Switch band for avionics bay Trapezoidal Fins (3) 1.08 Fins Aeropack Motor Retainer 0.50 Motor retainer 44

51 Centering Rings (3) 0.36 Centering motor within booster tube Motor Mount Tube 3.44 Tube for motor Avionics Coupler 0.73 Avionics coupler tubing Nosecone Bulkheads (2) 0.83 Bulkhead for nosecone Coupler Bulkheads (3) 0.88 Bulkhead for coupler tubing Airframe Bulkheads (3) 0.66 Bulkhead for airframe tubing Epoxy and Resin 1.50 Structural joints Fiberglass Nosecone 2.54 Nosecone of the rocket Nuts, Bolts, Washers, and Screws 0.10 Connections 1515 Rail Buttons (2) 0.05 Connection to launch rail Margin 0.20 Future growth Structure Total Mass: Recovery StratoLogger (2) 0.05 Altimeter TeleMetrum (2) 0.05 Altimeter / Tracker 9V Battery (2) 0.20 Battery for StratoLogger 9V Battery Clip (2) 0.03 Attach 9V battery to sleds TeleMetrum Li-Po Battery (2) 0.05 Battery for TeleMetrum Payload Parachute Parachute for payload section Main Parachute 1.22 Main parachute Drogue Parachute 0.15 Drogue parachute 20-ft. Tubular Kevlar (2) Shock chord for all parachutes Quick Links (4) 1.00 Attachment hardware Charge Cups (6) 0.10 Black powder charge container Nylon Shear Pins 0.01 Shear pins ¼ Threaded Rods (6) 0.20 Mounts for sleds 1/8 Plywoodsheet 0.10 Sleds for mounting equipment Terminal Blocks (4) 0.05 Connect altimeters to charges Rotary Switches (4) 0.10 Activating altimeters on launchpad Margin 0.25 Future growth Recovery Total Mass: Motor L1300R-P Reload Kit 10.8 Motor Fuel Grain Motor Casing 2.30 Motor Casing Forward Closure 1.08 Closure for motor casing Aft Closure.368 Closure for motor casing Motor Total Mass: Payload Wheels (6) Rover wheels Servo (5) 0.56 Servo for gears and solar cells 0.75 DC Motors (6) Required for movement Body (3) Electronics storage Solar Arrays (2) Required by competition Bevel Gear (2) 0.6 Lazy Susan mechanism 45

52 Latching Mechanism (2) 0.15 Locking rover for flight Payload Platform 1.5 Holds the rover Mounting Hardware 0.5 Supports the Lazy Susan Payload Total Mass: Planned Construction Methods After weighing strength, weight, and cost data for each possible body tube material in Section , the Structures and Recovery team has decided that the body of the rocket will be constructed of BlueTube 2.0 and will separate into a total of four pieces grouped into two independent sections. The first independent section will consist of the upper airframe (containing the main parachute, deployable rover, and rotating rover platform), the avionics coupler (including one StratoLogger CF altimeter, one TeleMetrum altimeter, ejection charges, U-bolts, and an electronics sled), and the booster tube (containing the drogue parachute, motor, motor mount, and fins). The second independent section consists solely of the nosecone, as well as one StratoLogger CF altimeter, one TeleMetrum altimeter, a single U-bolt, two ejection charges, and a small recovery parachute. At launch, all four of these pieces will be held together with shear pins. These shear pins will hold the rocket together on the launch pad and during powered ascent but will easily shear upon ejection charge activation, allowing for separation and parachute deployment. In the case of the lower independent section, its three pieces will remain connected during descent by 9/16th-in. Kevlar shock cord. The fins will be constructed from.2-in. G10 fiberglass. A fin jig, cut from plywood via the team s laser cutter, will be used to align the three fins at perfect 120-degree angles. The laser cutter s associated filtration equipment will be turned on and checked for proper function before use, due to the possible risk of smoke or other airborne particulate matter escaping during a cutting session. Figure 17 displays the fins from the vehicle. The fins used in this year s design will be similar in shape and in construction methods. Figure 17: Fin Configuration 46

53 Epoxy will be used to hold a variety of parts of the rocket together. All three fins will be epoxied not just to the lower body tube surface, but also through the booster tube to the motor mount tube. On each end of the fin will be a centering ring to ensure maximum strength. A third centering ring will be placed near the top end of the motor mount tube to add strength and ensure the tube does not flex at all while under thrust. These centering rings will be.125-in. G10 fiberglass, the same material as the fins. Before epoxy is applied, these centering rings will be scored with low grit sandpaper so that the surface does not detach from the epoxy, again ensuring maximum strength. The team s epoxy of choice will be 24-hour-set RocketPoxy. All bulkheads will also be G10 fiberglass, composed of two in. layers stacked and bolted together for added strength to counter the forces from parachute deployment. All immobile and non-replaceable components will be secured using the RocketPoxy. Each edge will have a rounded epoxy fillet to ensure consistent strength along the joint. To ensure a quality final product without the need to rush construction, the Structures & Recovery subteam has developed a tentative building schedule to lay out when construction tasks will be accomplished. This schedule is provided in Table 18. Table 18: Tentative Building Schedule Task Date to be Completed Detailed design of rocket completed October-November 2017 Sub-scale rocket parts ordered November 2017 Sub-scale rocket built and launched December 2017 Full-scale rocket parts ordered January 2018 Full-scale rocket construction February 2017 Full-scale rocket test flight March 2018 Competition launch April Simulation Methods In order to accurately predict the performance of the rocket, four different simulations methods will be used. The results of these different simulation methods will then be compared against each other, so the team has an accurate prediction of the performance of the rocket in a multitude of situations. The methods that will be used are outlined in the sections below OpenRocket OpenRocket is a free, open-source program that will be used to simulate the flight of the vehicle. OpenRocket allows users to design a high-power rocket and simulate its flight performance in a variety of situations. The user may select materials and dimensions for various sections of the vehicle. For example, the length, height, diameter, wall thickness, and material of the body tube may be adjusted. Mass components may be added in custom positions to simulate the mass of payload and avionics. The size, shape, and thickness of fins may also be adjusted, as well as parachute diameter, material, and position. There is also a wide range of engine selections available, which is helpful for determining the suitable engine to achieve precisely 5,280-ft. Once 47

54 all components of the vehicle are adjusted, OpenRocket can then calculate the stability of the rocket and simulate its flight, and finally export performance characteristics including acceleration, velocity, altitude, and drift distance to a spreadsheet. The team s experience from previous years shows that OpenRocket s apogee prediction is quite close to actual results, though tends to slightly overestimate apogee height. Still, the flexibility and accuracy of the program allows for rapid design cycles which improve the vehicle s performance, and any minor overestimation will be countered by comparison with the additional simulation methods detailed below. This flexibility, combined with the team s familiarity with the program, has led the team to choose OpenRocket as the primary simulation software for the competition. Figure 18 shows the current vehicle configuration in OpenRocket. Figure 18: OpenRocket Design RockSim Following proposal, RockSim will be used for running additional flight simulations prior to PDR. RockSim, seen in Figure 19 below, is a software package developed by Apogee Components. While OpenRocket and RockSim are very similar in terms of functionality and appearance, RockSim offers more options concerning drag coefficients and staging. From data provided by the two programs, the team can compare and reevaluate the design for the best flight. RockSim is available on all student computers within the University of Illinois Aerospace Department or at a reduced cost to students for use on their personal computers. 48

55 Custom MATLAB Simulator Figure 19: Sample rocket modeled in RockSim V9 To predict the flight of the vehicle, the team will write and implement a custom MATLAB simulation prior to the PDR. Different parameters of the vehicle, such as fin shape, center of pressure, parachutes sizes, and motor thrust curve, will all be taken into account by the simulation. Altitude, velocity, acceleration, and drift distances for different wind speeds would then be the designated outputs. Using this simulation, the team can ensure that the predictions of OpenRocket and RockSim are correct, allowing the team to be confident that the vehicle will have a safe and predictable flight. Within MATLAB itself, the simulation will use ode45 to solve the equations of motion using numerical methods. Ode45 uses a time span to solve a function containing equations of motion, given a set of initial conditions. A Runge-Kutta (4, 5) method that contains a variable time step is used to solve the equations efficiently. With this method, the simulation is able to run quickly but still remain accurate to the 5 th order with an accumulated error to the 4 th order Hand Calculations The team s final analysis method involves hand calculations using readily available equations found online. Terminal velocity and kinetic energy calculations for the various rocket sections will be completed first; this information has been included previously. In the future, the team will 49

56 calculate apogee and center of pressure by hand. Such calculations will strengthen the team s confidence in their design as the project moves towards manufacturing and testing. 4.2 Payload Design Summary The rocket payload contains a custom 5-lbs., 7 x5 x2.8 deployable rover called MORRT-E (Miniaturized Off-Road Remote Terrain Explorer). The rover will have an onboard Arduino Microcomputer with a wireless communication system powered by a ~1000-mAh battery. The onboard Arduino will control rover movement, communications, and solar panel deployment. The MORRT-E will move using six three-legged wheels with three on each side. Each wheel will be independently driven by an electric motor and gearbox. The machine will be hinged in segments, like a centipede, to allow it to cross terrain without getting stuck, (see Figure 21 to Figure 26). The hinge will allow free movement of the body segments in the vertical direction but prevent motion in all other directions. Because the rover is mono-directional and must land in a specific configuration to exit the rocket, a Lazy Susan will orient the rover after landing. The rover s directional capabilities will be simple, yet effective. Every part of deployment of the rover has been thought of in terms of making a clear path for the rover and optimizing it to traverse the rough terrain. It has been decided that there are very few obstacles in the field the rover will land in besides the dirt furrows; therefore, there is no need for the rover to turn while it moves 5- ft. away from the rocket. If the rover encounters a furrow, it should be able to effectively traverse it due to the nature of its legged wheels and segmented body. The rover design with its body and wheels can be seen in Figure 20. Each wheel will be synchronized with two other motors so that the rover is supported by three legs at all times. The three synced motors will be configured with two on the same side and one on the opposite side, such that the rover is always supported by three wheels in a tripod configuration. To reduce the risks of the gears interfering with one another, they will alternate distances from the rover body. The center wheels will be closer to the rover body than the other wheels. The segmented body will allow the shape of the rover to adapt to hills or other landforms, allowing each wheel to be in contact with the ground at all times. The design should maximize friction between the rover and the ground, thus minimizing slipping and aiding the rover while it climbs up furrows. 50

57 Figure 20: Rover Design Additionally, the rover has two solar panels, each on top of the body near the front. The solar panels deploy using a very basic spring actuator design. A servo controlled by the Arduino Micro and powered by the battery will latch the solar panels down. After the rover reaches its destination, the servo rotates its arm and the latch becomes undone. Small springs held under tension by the servo will now be free to rotate the solar cells on hinges. The solar cells will unfold and begin generating a voltage, and the output voltage will be measured by the Arduino through an analog port. The body of the rover will contain all of its electronics. The Arduino and gyroscope will be held on the interior of the central body section for protection from the black powder charge. A trap door will be located on the top of each body section to access the electronics. Each body section will have an internal flat base so that the electronics can be securely fastened during flight. The body section will be 3-D printed because the material is cheap, parts can be remade in short time periods, and additive manufacturing permits nearly any custom shape to be made. Testing will be done to ensure ABS plastic can withstand a black powder charge without damage so that the internal electronics are protected. 51

58 Figure 21: Rover Figure 22: Rover (With Sled) Side View 52

59 Figure 23: Rover Top View Figure 24: Rover Back, Isometric View 53

60 Figure 25: Rover Body Link Figure 26: Rover Body Link Side View (left), and Top View (right) 54

61 4.2.2 Competition Requirements Table 19: Deployable Rover Requirements Requirement Requirement Source Section Addressed The team shall design a custom rover. Deployable Rover The rover shall be deployed from the internal Deployable Rover structure of the launch vehicle. At landing, the team shall remotely activate a Deployable Rover trigger to deploy the rover from the rocket. After the rover is triggered, the rover shall deploy Deployable Rover from the launch vehicle. After deployment, the rover shall move at least Deployable Rover five-ft. from the launch vehicle. The rover shall move autonomously. Deployable Rover The rover shall have foldable solar cell panels. Deployable Rover The rover shall deploy the solar cell panels after it has moved at least 5-ft. Deployable Rover The rover must be powered up to 90 minutes. Vehicle Requirements The rover shall receive the trigger signal up to Recovery System ft. The rover shall fit into a 6-in. or smaller diameter launch vehicle. Requirements 3.9 Internal Rover Deployment A simple rover deployment mechanism and its timing were the primary concerns when designing the rover deployment. Deployment of the rover will occur on the ground after all parts of the rocket have landed and are visibly confirmed to be motionless. This ensures the rover is protected for the entirety of launch, coast, descent, and landing inside the upper body tube and payload section. Because the body tube will land in an unpredictable orientation, the rover will need to be rotated before movement begins so it can autonomously exit the rocket. A Lazy Susan will be used to rotate the rover with respect to the body tube. Once the rocket has landed, a gyroscope will determine the orientation of the rover. If the rover is not within a set tolerance of being right side up, a servo will rotate the rover and platform while continuously taking gyro measurements. The rotation device is shown in Figure 27. One gear is held stationary with respect to the body tube (1), and the servo rotates the second gear (2) around the first. The second servo is attached to the rover and platform, which rotates freely about a pin. The locking mechanism holds the rover against the platform throughout the orientation process. When the gyro readings indicate the rover is in the correct orientation, the Lazy Susan will cease rotation, and the two servos controlling the locking mechanisms will unlatch the rover from the platform. An Arduino on board the rover will control the Lazy Susan, locking mechanisms, and gyro. 55

62 2 1 Figure 27: Lazy Susan Mechanism Once the rover is in the correct orientation and the locking mechanisms have been released, the Arduino will command the motors to turn on. The rover will roll off the platform and out of the rocket with the attached electronics on the back, including three servos, the locking mechanisms, and one Lazy Susan gear. Keeping each of these on the rover will allow all orientation and rover control to be operated by the Arduino on the rover instead of another power source in the rocket. Once the rover begins moving, a time delay of one minute will be coded into the Arduino program to ensure the rover is at least 5-ft. away from the rocket. After one minute, the motors will stop, and the Arduino will command the solar panel servos to release the solar cells. A voltmeter will measure the voltage output from the cells and store the data on an SD card. The rover will remain in that configuration until the team retrieves it from the field Solar Cell Deployment The rover will have two solar cells onboard. These will be in a stowed configuration when the rover is on the rocket, folded onto the body of the rover. They will be latched down to a small servo controlled by an Arduino onboard the rover. Once the rover is deployed, a timer of approximately one minute will begin (depends on how fast it is capable of going). When the time is up, the rover will cease moving and will begin the solar panel deployment. The panels will open laterally so they are in line with the orientation of the rover. The storage and deployed configuration of the solar panels can be seen in Figure 28 and Figure

63 Solar Cells Figure 28: Deployed Solar Cell Position on Rover Figure 29: Storage Configuration of Solar Cells In order to verify that these cells are functioning, they will be connected to the onboard Arduino. The Arduino will log the voltage reading from each solar cell and store it on an SD card for later verification that they functioned correctly. This is not required by the competition, but is an internal requirement set by the payload sub-team to add more challenge. The solar panels will be 2x3-in. (51 x 76mm) each. They will be bought online from Sundance Solar for $3 each. Under favorable sunlight, they will produce 4V each. As well as recording voltage data, a 5mm LED that requires 20mA to light can be attached, or a 10mm LED that requires 80mA; however, if the sky is cloudy, the 10mm LED may not function, so the 5mm LED would be the safer option to test solar cell functionality. 57

64 Avionics The rover will contain six battery powered electric motors, a gyroscope, an Arduino micro, and five servos. Each motor will power one wheel and will operate in sync with two other motors so that the rover is supported by three legs at all times. The three synced motors will be configured with two on the same side and one on the opposite side such that the rover is always supported by three wheels in a tripod configuration. Two of the servos will control the solar panel deployment, and a third servo will operate the Lazy Susan to orient the rover before leaving the rocket. The final two servos will control the locking mechanism to hold the rover in place during flight and during orientation of the Lazy Susan. The Arduino Micro will control all the electronics on the rover, which include six motors, a gyroscope, and five servos. A battery will be present on the rover to supply power to the motors, gyro, and servos during the waiting period, during launch, and after rover deployment. All electronics will be located inside the rover body with the exception of the servos interacting with the Lazy Susan, the servos regulating the locking mechanism, and the solar panel servos. A breakdown of the circuit is shown in Figure 30. The six motors will each power one wheel. The gearbox will be located inside the robot body to protect the electronics from the black powder charge with the axel protruding from a hole to attach to the wheel. Each motor will be located 2.5-in. away from each other along the length of the body, with one in each body section. The Arduino will be located in the central body section, and wires will run on top of the rover through small holes to connect the Arduino to the motors. A battery will also be located in the central section to provide power to the motors, and it will also connect to the motors with wires running over the top of the rover. The configuration of the Arduino, batteries and motor can be seen in Figure 30. All motors will remain powered but stationary during the flight and will begin rotating in the forward direction when the rocket has landed, the rover has been oriented correctly in the rocket, and the Arduino gives the GO command. 58

65 Figure 30: Wire Configuration of Arduino, Battery, and Motors The two servos that will control the solar panel deployment will be located on top of the rover. Wires will run from the Arduino in the central section to the top of the rover to the servos. Testing will be done to ensure the servos and wires can survive the black powder charge without damage. The servo arms will be powered the entire flight and will hold spring-loaded hinges down. Once the rover has travelled 5-ft. from the rocket, the Arduino will command the servos to move and permit the solar panels to deploy. The third servo will control the Lazy Susan. The servo will be firmly attached to the trailing end of the rover with a gear that will line up with the teeth of another gear on the Lazy Susan. There will not be a direct attachment of the rover to the Lazy Susan, so the rover will exit the rocket with a small gear attached. While the Lazy Susan is rotating, the locking mechanism will hold the rover in place so that the gear remains lined up until the rover is in the desired orientation. The gyroscope will read the orientation of the rover based on the direction of the acceleration of gravity, and those readings will indicate if the servo should continue rotating or stop. Once the rover has reached the desired orientation, the servo will cease movement, and the motors will begin movement to allow the rover to exit the rocket. The location of the servo and Lazy Susan can be seen in Figure 31.Wires running from the Arduino and battery in the central section to the servo will power it. 59

66 Figure 31: Lazy Susan, Rover, and Servo The gyroscope will be located inside the central section of the rover. When the rocket lands, it will read the orientation of the rover and communicate with the Lazy Susan servo using the Arduino to orient the rover so that the wheels are facing the Earth. The locking mechanism consists of two locks on each side of the Lazy Susan gear. Each lock will be on top of the rover in the back of the rover and will hook onto the rotating platform supporting the rover. While the rover systems are in standby mode during flight and while the Lazy Susan is orienting the rover, the servos powering the locks will provide an active torque keeping the rover locked to the rotating platform. Once the rover is ready to exit the rocket, the Arduino will issue a command to unlatch the locks and enable movement of the rover. The locking mechanism integrated with the rover is shown in Figure

67 Figure 32: Rover Locking Mechanism The Arduino micro will execute the program that will keep all systems on standby during flight and begin the rover deployment sequence after landing. It will coordinate each electronic on the rover, including six motors, five servos, and a gyroscope. A flowchart of the program logic is shown below. All rover systems will remain on standby until the team begins the program with a wireless communication device after landing. 61

68 Once the program begins, the Arduino will use the gyro readings to determine the orientation of the rover. If necessary, it will command the Lazy Susan servo to rotate until the gyro determined the rover is in the correct orientation. The Lazy Susan will stop all movement, and then the locking mechanism will release to that the rover can exit the rocket. The motors will then commence movement, and the rover will move continuously in a straight line for one minute. After the time has elapsed, the motors will stop movement, and the solar panels will deploy. The rover will then stay in that configuration until the team retrieves it Communications Systems Figure 33: Arduino Program Flow Chart The communication system with the rover will be made up of four Arduino Micro boards, each connected to one HC-12 wireless transceiver module by a breadboard and wires, shown in Figure 34 and Figure 35 below. There will be two sender set ups and two receiver set ups. One receiver set up for the lock keeping the rover in place and one receiver set up to activate the Arduino process to make the rover drive out of the body tube. The Sender set ups will also include a button and 10 k resistor. The HC-12 wireless transceiver modules will have a spring antenna soldered onto them. The range of the HC-12 wireless transceiver modules is 1.8 km. Since the rocket should land in the field and the field is a square mile, a 1.8 km range should be sufficient. The frequency range of the transceiver modules is from to MHz. The dimensions of the Arduino Micro board are 0.7 in x 1.9 in. The mass of the Arduino Micro board is 13 grams. The dimensions of the HC-12 wireless transceiver modules are 1.09 in x 0.57 in x 0.16 in. The mass of each HC-12 wireless transceiver module is 2 grams. The dimensions of each of the.25 size breadboards are 2.2 in x 3.4 in. The mass of each breadboard is 38.9 grams. The dimensions of the button are 0.24 in x 0.24 in x 0.20 in. The total mass of each receiver set up is approximately 55 grams. Each full setup will take up roughly a square whose sides are 3.5 in. plus having a height of roughly 2 in. Once the rocket has landed, a team member will push the button on the sender set up that is connected to the lock holding the rover. The lock will then unhook the rover. After the first button 62

69 is pressed, a team member will push the button on the sender set up that is connected to the rover. The Arduino program will start to run and the rover will drive out of the body tube. Figure 34: Sender Launch Vehicle Integration Figure 35: Receiver The rover will be stored just below the nosecone in the upper section of the rocket, inside the payload bay that will protect it from a black powder charge. The payload section of the upper 63

70 airframe contains the nosecone parachute and the rover. A Kevlar shock cord will be tied to a U- bolt on the nosecone to keep the upper section attached to the parachute. A labelled diagram of the upper rocket section is shown in Figure 36. Altimeter Altimeter Battery Nosecone Parachute Location Rover Main Parachute Location Nosecone Avionics Sled 2 Orientation Mechanism Figure 36: Upper Rocket Section Breakdown The payload bay serves a dual purpose of protecting the rover from the black powder charge and limiting movement of the rover during flight. This payload bay includes the rover as well as the parachute for the nosecone. On the other side of the bulkhead that attaches to the rover orientation mechanism, is the area where the main parachute will be stored. The payload section will connect to the nosecone, which includes its own avionics bay. The nosecone will be deployed between drogue ejection and main parachute deployment. The purpose behind this is that the nosecone and upper airframe will be pointing down during flight when the drogue is deployed. In order to ensure the safety of persons and property, the nosecone will be deployed before the main parachute to ensure that its deployment is not close to ground level. The nosecone bay includes two altimeters, 2, 9V batteries, and black powder ejection canisters on the bulkhead to facilitate the deployment of the parachute. The altimeter switch for the nosecone parachute will be located between the nosecone and the upper airframe. It will be situated such that it only cuts a semicircle into the airframe and will leave with the nosecone once the parachute has been deployed. The payload bay includes the rover and nosecone parachute. Information on this parachute can be found in section 0. The rover deployment system consists of two components: the rover and the rover orientation mechanism. When the upper airframe lands, there is no way to determine certainty of the orientation of the tube without having an orientation mechanism. The team went through various stages of research and design and ended up with a bay that rotates about a gear secured to the bulkhead as shown in Figure 37 and Figure

71 Figure 37: Rover Orientation Mechanism Structure Figure 38: Fixed Rotation Structure Figure 38 displays the first section of the orientation structure. The cross is attached to the bulkhead. This includes a bevel gear. This entire structure remains fixed throughout flight and rover deployment. The next section, illustrated in Figure 37, adds on to this structure is a platform to hold the rover and allow for easy exit once activated. This sled includes a pin which attaches to the bevel gear. This allows for rotation of the entire rover and sled around the fixed bevel gear. The two rectangular holes on the sled are for the securement of the rover during flight and landing. Once the latches are removed, the rover will be activated and allowed to exit the vehicle. An illustration of the latches are included in Figure

72 Figure 39: Rover Locking Mechanism The rover locks to the bay through a process shown in Figure 39. The two servos on the side of the rover rotate a 3 bar linkage (1) and straighten to push up the two, yellow extrusions into the position where the flat portions (3) come in contact with the flat sides of the rectangular cutout on the Lazy Susan platform. The following configuration will be in place before flight. The rover s 3 servos and 6 motors will all be in the off configuration. The Arduino on the rover will be active in order to prevent the motors from being in on configuration. The rover will be latched into to the orientation mechanism through the process described above and displayed in Figure 39. The solar panels will be set in the locked configuration, ensuring the panels will not be activated during flight. The switch will be turned on for the altimeter in the nosecone. The nosecone parachute will be properly stored, so that it does not interfere with the rover at all. The black powder will be loaded in to the ejection canisters. The payload section of the airframe will then be integrated with the rest of the vehicle Risk Analysis The risks associated with the rover payload are listed in Table 20. The likelihood, severity, and mitigation strategies for each are also listed. Severity and likelihood are scored on independent scales from one to five, with one being least severe/ least likely and five being most sever/ most likely. Associated payload risks could be mission critical but occur infrequently. 66

73 Table 20: Stop Light Chart for Rover Payload P-3 P-1 P-2 P-4 Table 21: Rover Payload Associated Risks No. Risk Consequence Mitigation Severity Likelihood P-1 Vehicle landing traps payload Payload cannot deploy Work with structures and recovery team to design method of altering rocket's orientation after landing. 5 2 P-2 Payload servo failures Payload solar panels do not deploy Rigorous testing of servo motors approaching launch. 2 1 P-3 Payload battery discharge P-4 Parachute obscuring payload Payload cannot move under its own power Payload cannot deploy Size battery for greater duration runtime or greater power draw Deploy nosecone parachute at altitude to prevent blockage

74 4.2.4 Planned Prototyping & Testing There will be two parts to test the payload: preliminary testing and flight testing. Preliminary testing will test various components of the rover that are separate from the vehicle while flight test will include the payload in the vehicle. Preliminary testing will be considered successful if all components perform without anomaly and perform adequately in various test environments. Table 22 displays the testing sequence rover will endure. Preliminary tests of the rover will range from motor testing to solar panel deployment. Each test will be run multiple times to ensure that peak performance is achieved. Specifically, the tests run will include all motors, solar panel deployment, the Lazy Susan, the locking mechanism, and movement across rough terrain. All electronic systems must function properly, code execution will be tested to ensure this. The team will build an obstacle course of various terrains and obscurities to guarantee the rover can traverse the terrain it will be exposed to. This will ensure the rover will not flip or fail during the actual deployment. Code execution will be tested to ensure every electronic system will work even if large inclines or bumps are encountered. Also, the team will practice assembling and de-assembling the rover to ensure each member is up to date with the current design and aware of how it functions. Thus allowing all members to perform repairs and adjustments if necessary. After preliminary testing charge testing will occur. Charge testing will be executed to test if the rover body will be able to withstand the charge of the blast off the nosecone with little to no damage and structural melting. First, the team will place the rover body with the wheels inside the payload and simulate the blast charge. Following that, if the material and structure are unharmed, a spare servo will be added to the structure and tested again, the team will then determine if it caused any damage on the servo. If the servo survives, all electronics including the Arduino will be placed in the rover and a final test will be run to ensure no electronics will be damaged from the blast. This test will give the team confidence that during flight the nosecone blast will not damage the rover and allow it to operate smoothly once the rocket has landed. All of the charge testing process will be completed on the ground before flight testing occurs. If successful flight testing will follow. Flight testing will occur in early December where a subscale of the rocket will be built with the rover body sitting on top of the Lazy Susan mechanism which is also on board. During the flight, the Lazy Susan gear system will be tested to ensure that gears will remain locked and aligned for the duration of the flight. This means that the Lazy Susan must properly function throughout launch, charge blast, and landing to allow the proper orientation for release of the rover. The nose cone ejection will also be tested to ensure proper ejection and survival of the rover. During following landing. If any damage occurs to the rover body from stress or melting, the test will be deemed a failure. Post flight, cameras will be pointed towards the Lazy Susan to ensure the alignment is correct after the nosecone ejects. 68

75 Table 22: Rover Testing No. Test Name Description Criteria Success Criteria T-1 Code Level Testing- Electronics Testing of Electronic components All electronic components, including motors, servos, and gyroscope function as required for correct T-2 Radio Testing Testing of Communication with Rover. T-3 Hatch Deployment Orientation Rover is able to exit upper airframe correctly. function of component. Rover is able to perform all tasks without direct contact from team member. Rover completely exits rocket body in the upright orientation. T-4 Deployment Solar Panels Testing of Solar Panels opening and functioning correctly. T-5 Terrain Test Rover performs properly on various terrains T-6 Flight Test Rover is launched in rocket and performs tasks. Solar panels deploy 5ft away from rocket and open entirely. Rover performs all tasks on all terrains Rover is able to complete instructions after flight. 5 EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH 5.1 Overview Throughout the duration of Student Launch the ISS Student Launch team actively engages in Educational Outreach events in the Champaign/Urbana and greater central Illinois area. The intention of these events and classroom visits is to educate students on the basics of STEM and space exploration while also encouraging them to pursue STEM based careers. The approach that the ISS Student Launch team chooses to use is a combination of two broader approaches to primary education. This includes large single day educational outreach events at The University of Illinois and also smaller, multiple day school visits to local classes. By doing both classroom visits and large demonstration based days children from all schools, ages, and back grounds have an opportunity to be involved and learn the topics we cover. The purpose of educational outreach is to make a difference to current students in the area by providing a different approach to learning topics they may or may not have covered in class. The topics that ISS traditionally teach include space exploration, rocketry, the solar system, basic astronomy, and physical principles such as Newton s Laws. Due to the complexity of majority of these topics the teaching style of our members is heavily demonstration based. Hands on demonstrations that allow the students to physically interact with the science they are learning 69

76 about clarifies and enforces the main ideas. A typical example would be the use of an orbital simulator utilizing marbles and a weighted down piece of cloth to show a basic orbit. These events and days will occur throughout the duration of the Student Launch project. The events will be organized and led by Elena Kamis, the current Educational Outreach Director for the Illinois Space Society, who is also a member of the ISS Student Launch team. To maximize the impact of the activities after the events are completed those who volunteered, the students, and the educators will all be asked to fill out surveys regarding the event and improvements in the future. This information will then be evaluated and implemented if appropriate in all following events. In the end reaching out and teaching the children in local school districts allows competitions like Student Launch to continue growing in both size and strength in the future. 5.2 Planned Outreach Opportunities For the duration of this academic year the members of the ISS Student Launch team will participate in a minimum of ten different educational outreach events, many of those spanning multiple days. For the academic year the team will be involved in classroom visits, Illinois Space Day, Engineering Open House, Boy Scout Merit Badge clinics, and more. Each event targets a different group of kids and covers a specific type of information appropriate for the day Illinois Space Day Figure 40: ISD Logo Illinois Space Day (ISD) is the largest single day event run by The Illinois Space Society every year. The event is traditionally held on a Saturday in October for the duration of the day. This year Illinois Space Day is being held on October 7 th from 8 am until 3 pm. In past years ISD has hosted approximately 200 students for the day at The University of Illinois in the Digital Computer Laboratory on campus. This space provides two lecture halls, ample hallway space, and easy access to the outdoor demonstrations. During the day students participate 70

77 Figure 41: ISD Registration Tables in demonstrations, lectures, and mini competitions. This allows a variety of learning methods to be used and for each student to have the opportunity to try something new. In the morning students will check in through our registration and receive a free T-shirt with the classic Illinois Space Day logo pictured above. Following registration the students and their guardians will enter the larger lecture hall to listen to the key note speaker of the day. This year Dr. Erik Kroeker will be speaking as both a former University of Illinois faculty and a finalist in the Canadian Space Agency astronaut selection process. Dr. Kroeker s familiarity with the university combined with his unique experience with the Canadian Space Agency makes him a perfect fit for a key speaker that will be educational and interesting for attendees of all ages. After the opening presentations the attendees will be separated into groups of approximately ten students. From there the volunteers will lead the groups around to each of the exhibits and smaller demonstrations. These exhibits include: orbital simulator (pictured below), building a spacecraft with Legos, Alka Seltzer and film canister rockets, robotics, a scaled down jet engine, a hybrid rocket burn, liquid nitrogen, and a Space Shuttle tile. The exhibits are put together in part by ISS and partially by other Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) on campus. This allows each group to properly present their projects and explain to the attendees the exhibits and demonstrations with maximum accuracy. Figure 42: Orbital Simulator Demonstration 71

78 Once exhibits are completed lunch will be served and the day will end with an egg drop competition. This is a time for students to learn new ideas related to the basics of Newton s Laws and build their own payload carrier. The students are provided balloons, string, tape, straws, tooth pics, and pieces of a table cloth to best build a slow falling egg protector. The day then concludes and volunteers begin the process of cleaning up. Figure 43: Egg Drop Competition ISD is an extremely involved and lengthy process that requires planning from all groups. Because of this after the event is completed the attendees will receive an allowing for personal feedback to make the event better in the future. Most importantly, this event is completely free of charge for attendees and their families in order to maximize outreach capabilities to all groups Engineering Open House Engineering Open House (EOH) is an event hosted by The College of Engineering at The University of Illinois every spring semester. This event is an opportunity for families with kids of all ages K-12 to come and view what The College of Engineering offers to its students and the community. The College of Engineering relies on the Engineering RSOs to provide the main base of the presentations given during this time frame. Traditionally ISS provides at least three different demonstrations for the children to enjoy. These include the orbital simulator, hybrid rocket engine ignition, and liquid nitrogen and space shuttle tile demonstrations. Further, ISS also provides a setup of all the technical projects that occur throughout our academic year, including the rocket built for Student Launch, along with posters detailing the project goals and accomplishments. 72

79 Many of the demonstrations used for EOH are the most practiced and commonly presented exhibits. The reason for this is EOH is the largest event that ISS volunteers at every year, seeing approximately 20,000 attendees every year. Due to this the exhibits presented must be those that are easiest for the volunteers, while being equally practiced and interesting for the students viewing. This results in the use of the aforementioned demonstrations. Figure 44: EOH Demonstrations (from top left down), Hybrid Rocket Demo, Technical Projects Exhibit, and Liquid Nitrogen Demo Miscellaneous Events The ISS Student Launch team will participate and volunteer in many smaller events than ISD and EOH. These include Boy Scout merit badge clinics, school visits, and more. Each year ISS will host two different Boy Scout merit badge clinics allowing the attending scouts to attain their Space Exploration merit badges. Our volunteers are required to go through training with the Scouts before being allowed to teach or administer the merit badges. The requirements for the merit badge include teaching the scouts the basics of space exploration using a presentation, designing an unmanned mission to the outer reaches of the universe, designing a manned mission within our solar system, presenting both missions, building a model rocket in groups of four scouts, and launching the rockets. Typically the rockets will be flown using 1/2A or A class motors purchased from a hobby store. The scouts will not receive their merit badges unless the rocket successfully launches. This event is a great time for volunteers to see their progress with the children and also 73

80 make a real difference for the scouts who attend. Being able to teach a merit badge clinic is the most regulated of the educational outreach events ISS participates in, but it is a unique opportunity. Figure 45: Boy Scout Merit Badge Clinic One other large portion of educational outreach is classroom visits. In the academic year of there are already five planned classroom visits, each at different local schools, some reoccurring for the span of multiple weeks. Already this semester one visit has been completed. The ISS Student Launch project manager Andrew Koehler, the Educational Outreach Director Elena Kamis, and the Illinois Space Society Director Brian Hardy, attended The Next Generation Primary School on September 15 th to teach an enrichment class on the basics of the solar system with demonstrations using liquid nitrogen included. The class met for only a half hour, but covered the basics of planetary makeup, sizes, distances, and temperatures. The liquid nitrogen was used to demonstrate the extremes of temperatures on different planets. The event was a success and the society has been asked to return in the future for another presentation. Finally, ISS is frequently asked to provide simple one hour build sessions for model rocketry at events geared towards high school students. One of these events is Little Sisters Weekend where high school female students spend a week on campus with a current female engineering student. On the second night of the weekend, ISS will provide a single hour build session for model rockets where the girls build the rockets and launch immediately afterwards. It provides the girls with a bonding event along with encouraging them to pursue aerospace based RSOs if they choose to attend the university. Educational outreach is a vital part to not only The Illinois Space Society, but also the ISS Student Launch team. All members of the team will volunteer at least once, but the majority of team members will attend most, if not all, of the educational outreach events provided by ISS. Educating the next generation of scientists and engineers is something that is extremely important to the society. 74