Skip to main content Skip to navigation
Washington State University Aerospace Club

Aerospace Club receives check at AUVSI spring forum

image

 

Aerospace Club is very happy to announce that has once again supported our efforts with a sizable donation to the club during their spring forum. Several members of the club attedended the forum to receive the check, connect with industry, and participate in unmanned systems related tours. This donation will be used to provide travel opportunities for Aerospace Club members to visit leaders in the industry. Thanks again AUVSI Cascade!

Rocket Flights!

In the spirit of Rocket Flight i feel the need to make an update on current happenings. This may be the most major rocket launches in a single week. Beginning today, over the next 4 days there will be 6 major rocket launches around the world. Launch Companies include ULA, Mitsubishi, TsSKB-Progress (Russian Soyuz), and India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). This Saturday marks the beginning of the first one year stay in space by astronaut Scott Kelly aboard the ISS.

For more updates and links visit:

http://www.spaceflightinsider.com/launch-schedule/

First Attempt at Certification Completed

Earlier today, Paul, Kevin, Katlyn, Mario, Curtis, and I traveled to Pasco, WA for Paul and Kevin’s first attempts to achieve Level 1 NAR certification. The Tri-Cities Rocketeers were gracious in letting us launch our rockets from their stands, as well as helping us navigate everything we needed to make our certification attempt possible. While both launches resulted in failure (parachutes failed to deploy), we all had a lot of fun watching others launch as well as launching our own rockets. I’m currently prepping video of our launch attempts, but here’s some photos of the event and a video of a particularly spectacular launch by Conrad of Seattle, WA to tide you over. Enjoy!

IMG_4358 IMG_0820 IMG_0829 IMG_4425 IMG_0816 IMG_0809 IMG_4393

Electronics Update

Successfully tested stratologger deployment capabilities at 10,000 ft and 50,000 ft within a vacuum chamber. Some deviation occurred during the 50k ft test, as the main chute deployment was delayed by more than 90 ft. This could be due to rate of depressurization of the chamber or an uncalibrated barometer on the altimeter. Further testing will be needed. Configuration settings and locating tone as advertised.

Electronic housing specifications have been narrowed down. Use of a 1″x4″ wooden plank for a support structure with threaded steel rods running lengthwise through the plank and surrounding bulkheads will be implemented. Bulkheads will consist of a carbon fiber bulkhead and aluminum face supplemented with wooden bulkheads that are o-ring sealed for the altimeter sensors. Currently waiting on ordered parts and diameter specifications of threaded rods/rocket body before further construction can take place.

Testing of carbon fiber housing around the recently purchased transmitter will take place ASAP. Further testing of the altimeter will be taking place next week along with some exploration into safety critical circuit arming techniques for use with current electronics bay design.

SOME PICTURES!!

IMG_20150227_190725 IMG_20150227_192200 IMG_20150227_192432

Newest Update From the IREC Competition

1/23/15: Rocket Finding Information Updated

We have added some information regarding radio tracking of rockets. The Bridgerland Amateur Radio Club will support tracking of 900 MHz GPS transmitters (which do not require a ham license so you can use them anywhere)

More info at http://www.soundingrocket.org/

Structures Update

It’s been a while since we have updated on the status of our structures group. This team’s purpose is to work on our rocket’s structures, flight dynamics, and Systems integration. This includes the analysis, design for manufacturing and construction of the rocket that we will use to compete in the 2015 IREC competition.

As of January we have creates flight models for stability and flight performance. These are to be verified with our first test flight. The working CAD model has been steadily making progress and will have pictures posted soon! We are currently in the process of getting parts ordered and performing testing on our composite body.

WSU Aerospace Club is now on Pushbullet!

Pushbullet is a great app that you can download on almost any device and get instant notifications. It can be used as a messaging service to push images, text or other media between devices; It can push notifications between devices so you see all notifications no matter where you are; You can even subscribe to your favorite channels to get notifications when new content is added. To follow WSU Aerospace Club, go to https://www.pushbullet.com/ and download the app for your favorite device, and then head over to https://www.pushbullet.com/channel?tag=wsuaero to subscribe to our channel. This channel will automatically push notifications to you based on the latest posts on the WSU Aerospace Club website.

AUVSI Cascade, here we go!

Tomorrow, Aerospace Club leaves for AUVSI Cascade’s annual fall conference in order to meet with industry leaders right here in the northwest. This will be the third year in a row that we attend, having showcased Genii UAS the past two years at the conference. This year, not only will we be updating our friends at AUVSI on Genii, but we will be sharing information on our latest project – the 10th Intercollegiate Rocket Engineering Competition. We will be bringing informational materials, and our first prototype rocket, the PUMA mk.I. Look forward to updates from the conference soon!

For more information on the conference, click here.

PUMA mk.I
A preview of the PUMA mk.I