Project Λscension
Vehicle Dimensions
•
•
•
•
Pad Weight: 28.1 Ib
Length: 112.5 in (9 ft. 4.5 in)
Diameter: 6 in
Fin Semi-Span: 6 in
Key Design Features
Key Design Features
Payload Containment Device
Key Design Features
Piston Parachute Deployment
Key Design Features
Piston Parachute Deployment
Final Motor Choice
AeroTech K1275R Thrust Curve
Static Stability Margin
Center of Gravity (inches from nose):
Center of Pressure (inches from nose):
Stability Margin (diameters):
71.8
89.7
2.9
Mass Statement
Pad Weight (lbs)
8 ft. rail exit velocity
(fps)
Thrust-to-Weight
Ratio
28.1
76
12.4
Parachutes
Parachute
Size (in)
Descent Rate
(fps)
Drogue
30
54
Payload
42
21
Main
72
19
Kinetic Energy
Section
Descent weight
of section (lb)
Speed
under
drogue
(ft/s)
Kinetic energy
under drogue
(ft-lb)
Speed at
landing (ft/s)
Kinetic energy
at landing (ft-lb)
untethered
payload
7.4
54
102
21
15
middle
9.5
54
130
19
16
booster
8.3
54
114
19
14
RockSim Predicted Altitude
Wind speed
(mph)
Altitude (ft)
0
3480
5
3498
10
3503
15
3494
20
3469
RockSim Predicted Drift
Wind speed
(mph)
Drift at 1000
ft. AGL (ft.)
Total drift at
landing (ft.)
0
614
614
5
706
978
10
780
1366
15
927
1725
20
1007
2372
Test Plans
Test
Date
Full Scale Launch Vehicle Completed
2/21
Parachute Deployment Ground Testing
2/27
First Full Scale Test Flight
2/28
Payload Retaining System Ground Testing
3/7
Second Full Scale Test Flight
3/8
FRR Report, Presentation, Flysheet Due
3/16
Full-Scale Flight Results
Test Flight 1
• Partial success
• Altitude of 3391 ft.
• Recovery parachutes deployed
too early
• Stability of the rocket
demonstrated successfully
Full-Scale Flight Results
Test Flight 2
• Complete success
• Altitude of 3446 ft.
• All recovery systems
functioned properly
• Stability of the rocket
demonstrated successfully
Piston Ejection Ground Test
Status of Requirements Verification
Launch Vehicle Requirements
The vehicle shall deliver the payload to 3000 ft. AGL.
The vehicle shall carry a commercially available altimeter for official scoring, and a back-up altimeter.
The altimeter shall report the altitude in a series of beeps.
The vehicle shall be designed to be recoverable and reusable.
The vehicle shall have a maximum of four independent sections.
The vehicle shall be limited to a single stage.
The vehicle must be able to remain in a launch-ready configuration for at least one hour.
The vehicle must be capable of being prepped for launch in less than two hours.
The vehicle must have a dual-deploy recovery system.
At landing each independent section shall not exceed a kinetic energy of 75 ft-lb.
The on-the-pad cost of the launch vehicle and AGSE shall not exceed $5000.
Status
Incomplete
Complete
Complete
Complete
Complete
Complete
Complete
Complete
Complete
Complete
Complete
AGSE Design Overview
AGSE Design Overview
AGSE Design Overview
AGSE Design Overview
AGSE Design Overview
Wheel spindle shaft will sit tightly in an opening in the spindle. A 1024 screw and washer /lock nut will be used to provide additional
support and friction. The spindle will be attatched to the motor with
10-24 screws, allowing the wheel to be turned by the motor
AGSE Dimensions
AGSE Design Overview
Pixy connection
to Arduino ISCP
connection
Reset Button
Lens and
Pan/Tilt Servos
Servo connections
AGSE Design Overview
HS-422
Gripper
HS 645
Wrist Servo
HS-755 Elbow
Servo
C-Brackets
HS-805 BB Shoulder
Servo
AGSE Integration
AGSE Design Overview
AGSE Dimensions
AGSE Integration
AGSE Verification: Requirements
Requirement
Teams will position their launch vehicle horizontally on the launch pad.
A master switch will be activated to power on all autonomous procedures and
subsystems.
Design Feature

The AL5D Lynxmotion robotic arm will have sufficient reach to load the payload
into a horizontally positioned launch vehicle.

A single poll triple throw (SPTT) switch has been wired into the AGSE between
the main power sources and their respective components to act as a master
power switch.
A single poll single throw (SPST) switch has been installed and wired to the
master controller. When this switch is activated, the master controller will send a
signal back to itself, fulfilling a Boolean statement in code and therefore allowing
the AGSE processes to continue. Disengaging this switch pauses the AGSE
until the switch is engaged again.

After the master switch is turned on and all AGSE subsystems are booted, a
pause switch will be activated, temporarily halting all AGSE procedures and
subroutines.
After setup, one judge, one launch services official, and the team will remain at
the pad. During autonomous procedures, the team is not permitted to interact
with their AGSE.
After all nonessential personnel have evacuated, the pause switch will be
deactivated.
Once the pause switch is deactivated, the AGSE will capture and contain the
payload within the launch vehicle. If the launch vehicle is in a horizontal
position, the launch platform will then be manually erected by the team to an
angle of 5 degrees off vertical, pointed away from the spectators. The launch
services official may re-enable the pause switch at any time at his/her discretion
for safety concerns.

The onboard microcontrollers and logic boards will automate all AGSE
processes. The main computer, an Arduino Mega, will be responsible for
managing the activation / deactivation of other microcontrollers.

Engaging the pause switch will allow the master controller to resume its
processes of activating / deactivating other subsystems as necessary.

The camera subsystem and the payload retrieval subsystem will be responsible
for navigating the AGSE to the payload and then retrieving the payload. The
body will support all of these subsystems and will be made mobile through the
use of 6, 12V DC motors and 4 servos for steering. The main computer will
allow these subsystems to work in conjunction with one another by relaying
relevant information between each of the subsystems.
AGSE Verification: Verification Procedures
Requirement
Teams will position their launch vehicle horizontally on the launch pad.
A master switch will be activated to power on all autonomous procedures and
subsystems.
Verification Procedure

Measurements have been taken to ensure that the launch vehicle will be with
reach of the AL5D robotic arm from the AGSE body.

The functionality of the switch has already been verified through testing. When
activated, 0V and 0mA reach the logic boards, as indicated by voltage and
current measurements.
The functionality of the pause switch has been verified through testing. Upon
activation, the switch successfully allows the Arduino Mega to send a signal
back to itself, fulfilling a Boolean statement to activate a piece of code which
halts all AGSE routines and subroutines.

After the master switch is turned on and all AGSE subsystems are booted, a
pause switch will be activated, temporarily halting all AGSE procedures and
subroutines.
After setup, one judge, one launch services official, and the team will remain at
the pad. During autonomous procedures, the team is not permitted to interact
with their AGSE.
After all nonessential personnel have evacuated, the pause switch will be
deactivated.
Once the pause switch is deactivated, the AGSE will capture and contain the
payload within the launch vehicle. If the launch vehicle is in a horizontal
position, the launch platform will then be manually erected by the team to an
angle of 5 degrees off vertical, pointed away from the spectators. The launch
services official may re-enable the pause switch at any time at his/her discretion
for safety concerns.

Subsystem level testing and inspection is being carried out to verify the AGSE’s
ability to fulfill the mission goals without human intervention. These are detailed
in the next slides.

Deactivating the pause switch has been verified in the same manner as its
activation.

The payload retrieval subsystem will be responsible for depositing the payload
into the payload containment bay of the launch vehicle. This will be verified by
the subsystem testing and verification specific to the payload retrieval
subsystem. This is detailed in its respective subsystem level verification slide.
AGSE Subsystem Verification: Body
Tested for:
Verification
Procedure
Verification
Status
Structural Support
Inspection
Partial Success
Mobility
Testing motor
drive
Partial Success
Steering Servo
Functionality
Tested by servo
panning under full
load
Success
Autonomous
Steering and
Navigation
Tested through
field testing
In progress
AGSE Subsystem Verification: Camera
Tested for:
Verification
Procedure
Verification
Status
Color signature
detection
Testing
Success
Object
Differentiation
Testing using
aspect ratio
algorithm
In progress
Tracking and
Distance
Calculations
Testing using
calibration curve
In progress
AGSE Subsystem Verification: AL5D Arm
Tested for:
Verification
Procedure
Verification
Status
Servo
Functionality
Testing has been
Success
conducted on all
servos individually
to verify
functionality
Servo Integration
Manual override
has been used to
verify and test the
arms ability as a
whole, to lift the
payload.
Programmatic
Consistency
The custom made In progress
inverse kinematics
software will be
tested for its ability
to consistently
locate and pick up
the payload.
Success
AGSE Subsystem Verification: Boards/Power
Tested for:
Verification
Procedure
Verification
Status
Safe Current and
Voltage output
Inspection using
voltage and
current
measurements on
battery outputs
and power inputs
on the boards
Success
Board
Communication
I2C port
functionality was
tested using
sample code on
the boards
configured as
slaves to the
Mega
Success
Board
Hardware/Progra
m Integration
Each board will be In progress
tested with its
respective