Deployment Testing Procedure - IREC 2022
- Will Merges (RIT Student)
Owned by Will Merges (RIT Student)
Equipment
- Avionics Bay
- 2x RRC3s
- No batteries
- Body tubes with charge wires inserted and secured in bulkheads
- 7.4v 2S LiPo
- XT90 male adapter
- Payload Sabot
- 2x ~6" ferrule to bare 18-22 AWG extender wires
- Machine with ground software
- Engine controller (normally used for prop)
- Ethernet cable / adapter (if necessary)
Test
- Place primary RRC3 into output test mode
- Screw ferrule crimps of extenders into primary RRC3 battery connector
- Place bare end of extenders near umbilical slot
- Insert avionics bay into body tube, plug in deployment DE-9 cables
- Place engine controller maximum distance away (~12 ft)
- Plug 7.4v LiPo XT90 to 12v input of engine controller
- Power on the Teensy in engine controller box with external USB power (since converter expects 12v)
- Verify heartbeat received from engine controller
- Run engine controller igniter cable to rocket
- Use pliers to grab extender wires connected to RRC3 power input
- Use WAGO connectors to attach extender wires to igniter output cable
- Wire two ematches in parallel to primary RRC3 drogue charge lines (also in parallel)
- Before handling BP, move all personnel possible to safe distance (> 12 ft)
- Place ematches in black powder balloon
- Tape balloon into drogue charge cap
- Fully assemble remaining body tubes
- Make sure avionics bay screw switch is in disarmed position (e.g. OPEN)
- Verify all connections
- Arm the screw switch
- Move all personnel to a safe distance (> 12 ft) - no exceptions
- Power on the engine controller box with switch - at this point the test is live
- Place the engine controller in "hot" mode
- When ready, toggle the igniter output of the engine controller through the ground software
- Verify the RRC3 beeped the correct continuity sequence for 1s
- Verify that after 1s the charge is ignited and the tubes separate
Repeat for primary drogue, secondary main, and secondary drogue.