These are the requirements that we have decided for the flight computer. The reason for these is to limit the scope and state clearly the purpose of the flight computer.
The flight computer shall be able to determine the altitude of the rocket.
The flight computer shall be able to deploy initial parachute.
The flight computer shall be able to deploy main parachute.
The flight computer shall be able to store flight data.
The flight computer shall be able to control the valve flowrate.
The flight computer shall be able to warmup the parafin under a set amount of time.
The flight computer shall be able to receive instructions remotely.
The flight computer shall be able to transmit flight data.
These are cherrypicked requirements relevant for the flight computer that has to be fulfilled to be able to compete in EuRoC.
All ground-started propulsion system ignition circuits/sequences shall be capable of being armed and
disarmed with no personnel within 15 m of the launch vehicle.
Hybrid and liquid propulsion systems shall implement a means for remotely controlled venting or
offloading of all liquid and gaseous propellants in the event of a launch abort.
Launch vehicles shall implement fully redundant recovery system electronics, including sensors/flight
computers and "electric initiators", with a separate power supply (i.e., battery).
At least one redundant recovery system electronics subsystem shall implement a COTS flight
computer.
All electronics switches or connectors that need to be manually operated shall be accessible from
outside the vehicle via either access panels or direct mounting on the outer skin.
All electronics switches or connectors that need to be manually operated shall be readily accessible
from the ground, when the rocket is in vertical launch position.
All electronics switches or connectors that need to be manually operated shall be mounted on the
vehicle side opposite to the launch rail.
All stored-energy devices (i.e., energetics) used in recovery systems shall comply with the energetic
device requirements defined in Section 6.1 of this document.
All onboard systems shall be free of batteries with either lithium-polymer or lithium (non-
rechargeable) chemistry.
Onboard batteries shall be readily accessible from the ground, when the rocket is in vertical launch
position.
Onboard power systems shall have at least six hours of battery lifetime on the launch rail.
Each independently recovered launch vehicle body, anticipated to reach an apogee above 450 m
above ground level (AGL), shall follow a dual deployment recovery operations concept.
The initial deployment event shall occur at or near apogee.
The initial deployment event shall result in a descent velocity between 23 and 46 m/s.
The main deployment event shall occur at an altitude no higher than 450 m AGL.
The main deployment event shall result in a descent velocity of less than 9 m/s.
Launch vehicle stages and deployable payloads shall feature a mandatory operational CATS Vega
Flight Computer for official altitude logging and landing site tracking purposes.
Teams shall assign to each transmitter a “call-sign” (referred to in the CATS User Manual as the
tele_link_phrase telecommand) respecting a specific string format to be found in Appendix D.
Teams will be required to fly a specific firmware version in each mandatory CATS flight computer,
mandated by the EuRoC organization.
The CATS Ground Station shall be used for telemetry and tracking in conjunction with the mandatory
system.
CATS devices shall comply with the electronics general electronics requirements EuRoC-LV-RQT-
0260, EuRoC-LV-RQT-0270 and EuRoC-LV-RQT-0280.
All safety critical wiring shall implement a cable management solution (e.g., wire ties, wiring,
harnesses, cable raceways).
All safety critical wiring/cable connections shall be sufficiently secure as to prevent de-mating due to
expected launch loads.
Teams shall thermally test the electronics to know the reliable operational temperature range,
implement cooling or venting provisions and monitor at least one temperature sensor representative
of the electronics temperature.
All energetics shall be “safed” until the rocket is in the launch position, at which point they may be
"armed".
All energetic device arming features shall comply with the requirements EuRoC-LV-RQT-0260,
EuRoC-LV-RQT-0270 and EuRoC-LV-RQT-0280.
All non-pressurized compartments of the airframe shall be vented in such a way that the pressures
during flight are never above 1,05 times the atmospheric pressure at that point in the flight.
Any internally mounted RF transmitter, receiver or transceiver, not having the applicable antenna(s)
mounted externally on the airframe, shall employ “RF windows" in the airframe shell plating (typically
glass fibre panels).
RF windows in the flight vehicle shell shall be a 360° circumference and be at least two body calibres
in length.
RF windows shall be of a material other than carbon fibre.
RF antennas shall be kept as far away as possible from wiring and metallic structural elements.
The internally mounted RF antenna(s) shall be placed at the midpoint of the RF window section.
Launch vehicles shall nominally launch at an elevation angle of 84°±1° and a launch azimuth defined
by the organisation at EuRoC.
Teams are required to carry payload(s) on the vehicle.
Payloads shall fulfil one of following basic form factors:
The launch vehicle shall carry no less than 1000 g of payload, with no requirement applicable to the
upper limit.
Payloads shall fulfil one of the following basic mass increments:
The payload functionality must be completely independent of the launch vehicle and at the same
time payloads cannot be a part of the launch vehicle functionality (e.g., a guidance and control
system).
Teams must ensure that the payloads shall not be inextricably connected to other launch vehicle
associated components (e.g., recovery system, internal structure, or airframe) while being weighed.
Payloads shall not contain significant quantities of lead or any other hazardous materials, and in case
of payloads with potential biohazards such as seeds or living beings, those must not contain invasive
species. The use of radioactive materials is not permitted.
All stored-energy devices (i.e., energetics) used in payload systems shall comply with the energetic
device requirements defined in Section 6.1 of this document.