Over Engineered Launch Rail Control Box

[Yukon@K-9 Rocket Tech]

Recently I bought a 8ft 1010 aluminum rail. I like to build over engineered pads, so here goes another one XD. This box is 3D printed and it has a gopro mount (get some sweet top view shots), quad RGD status LEDs (360 view of lad's status), radio antennae to receive radio signals to start auto sequence, and of course a American Flag holder. Since this will be erected to 8ft, will provide excellent radio signals coverage. Lol would also look like a wifi tower or something. I plan to do telemetry to a ground system computer, so I could in theory use this control box to house another radio module to reiceve and downlink live data from the rocket to a the custom ground computer I'm building.

This does not have umbilical connectors since it is at the top of the rail. I plan to add a umbilical in the center of the rail somewhere to potentially get live vehicle flight computer status, and keep the flight batteries topped off till the last second


^ground controller

Just to note the WOOF launch computer will control all autonomous sequneces after I start terminal count with the controller. Abort is possible down T-0 if you can press the abort button fast enough lol

 

[rharshberger]

Less over-engineered and more "feature rich", over engineered to me means nigh bomb proof. I would be seriously concerned about rocket exhaust on the pad box. Usually we try and keep them away from the pad to avoid exhaust products as much as possible.

 

[Yukon@K-9 Rocket Tech]

Less over-engineered and more "feature rich", over engineered to me means nigh bomb proof. I would be seriously concerned about rocket exhaust on the pad box. Usually we try and keep them away from the pad to avoid exhaust products as much as possible.

Hmmm great point, I was worried about the gopro getting scorched, but didn't think about all the charring on the box lol. Not launching HPR but just mid powered rockets so guess I'll see charring which will kake it look super cool, guess I would need to weld a metal version when I do go HPR

 

[rharshberger]

Hmmm great point, I was worried about the gopro getting scorched, but didn't think about all the charring on the box lol. Not launching HPR but just mid powered rockets so guess I'll see charring which will kake it look super cool, guess I would need to weld a metal version when I do go HPR

Put some kind of glass plate between the camera and the exhaust or even a LPR will trash the GoPro lens.

 

[KennB]

Not happy about the iffy-ness of the abort control.

Also, the rocket exhaust isn't going to do the flag much good.

Lockdown has been tough on all of us.

 

[Yukon@K-9 Rocket Tech]

Not happy about the iffy-ness of the abort control.

Also, the rocket exhaust isn't going to do the flag much good.

Lockdown has been tough on all of us.

Lol how to over engineer even more. Add a nomex cover controlled by a servo to cover it XD also. Abort system is reliable cause it kills the power, relay is in off state all the time without power. In abort, shuts down entire thing by literally dosconeting battery. I even considered a fire suppresion system via a solenoid and pressurized tank for even more saftey but that's a pain to take to the feild like the water deulge on my other pad lol

 

[cwbullet]

Very nice.