Ground Switch Box
- Will Merges (RIT Student)
Launch is starting to do more liquid development, using a DAQ, and having more complex rockets that may require ground support in the future where it is not safe to have human input. A simple project could be a keep it simple stupid ™ switch box.
It could be as simple as several relays, a teensy to control them, and some way to receive commands wirelessly like an XBee. You could short the relay inputs for logic control, or hook them up to power supplies.
Several immediate uses could be:
-Powering cameras and controlling when they start recording (e.g. hooking the buttons up to relays).
-Powering the DAQ
-Lighting igniters (especially if we ever make our own pad, also useful for propulsion)
-Umbilical (no real practical use for this right now)
It would require a limited amount of software and could be easily integrated into the ground station.
Electrically it is all COTS components that need to be wired, voltage rails could be screw connectors, the relays are screw terminals, and the teensy would need to be connected, and batteries need to be connected to voltage rails.
Mechanically it would need a box to hold everything.
This project may be deemed unnecessary depending on development of the rest of the team, but it would be very cheap and simple to build which may make it worth it.