This week, the team decided to mix things up a bit and focus on some new tasks. One team was focused on how to release the GEM from the rocket. The team is focusing on using a parachute to pull the GEM away from the rocket body, and then use a clamp to release the parachute cord upon landing so that the GEM can begin it's excursion. The other team was focusing on making the electronics of the rocket accessible. In years past, the electronics bay has been inserted in the rocket and sealed using epoxy. This year, the team would like to make the electronics bay accessible just in case anything malfunctions. The current design is to place the electronics bay right below the nose cone in a dedicated bulk head.
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This competition is quite the challenge, but we're really excited about the way it's going so far. The rocket body is still a work in progress, trying to maximize weight and stability by adjusting the nose cone and rocket length. The GEM is looking more and more like a tank and we're hoping to have a final design soon. It looks like a lot of the GEM could be 3D printed!
With the Body team off for the week, the Electronics team and Payload team continued work on the GEM. Dimensions of the GEM are beginning to take shape, and the search for parts has begun. With the rough terrain at the launch site, the team is planning on using sprockets to grip the ground. The Electronics team continues testing on a sensor that will allow the GEM to see any obstacles in it's path, and adjust course without any human input.
Parts are already starting to fly in the door! The Electronics team has been working with an Arduino Uno to wire a LIDAR sensor to use in the GEM. The LIDAR will be used to determine if an object is in the way of the GEM while roaming the ground. The Body team has narrowed the design of the rocket body. The target is to have a 7.5in body tube, big enough to fit a GEM, but small enough to reach 1000ft in the air. The Payload team has begun modeling components that will make up the GEM. The first goal is to complete necessary components such as a camera and the LIDAR, then finalize the rest of the GEM.
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Team LeadsNicole Biskner & Nathen Schollaert Archives
May 2019
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