This one has been rattling around in my head ever since I started thinking about dual deploy, avionics, etc. One of the horror stories I keep hearing is about people forgetting to arm the avionics before launch. I started wondering if there was a way to Yokoten (that's a Japanese term for "make idiot proof") the process.
What I came up with was tying the ignitor to the avionics switch. That way, if you forget to turn the switch, you don't have continuity to the ignitor, and can't launch.
It seems like it should be possible, if you are using a 110/220 switch or other double pole switch for your avionics, to use the second pole to interrupt the circuit for the ignitor. Have some sort of surface contact at the bottom of the body tube, with a wire running up to the switch, then another wire running back down to a point near the motor to connect to the ignitor.
Has anyone tried this? Would it comply with/violate either TRA or NAR safety rules? Curious to find out what prior art exists.
What I came up with was tying the ignitor to the avionics switch. That way, if you forget to turn the switch, you don't have continuity to the ignitor, and can't launch.
It seems like it should be possible, if you are using a 110/220 switch or other double pole switch for your avionics, to use the second pole to interrupt the circuit for the ignitor. Have some sort of surface contact at the bottom of the body tube, with a wire running up to the switch, then another wire running back down to a point near the motor to connect to the ignitor.
Has anyone tried this? Would it comply with/violate either TRA or NAR safety rules? Curious to find out what prior art exists.