Advanced Control of Small Launch Vehicle

Overview

Cubesats and attosatellites are small, lightweight satellites that allow researchers to conduct experiments and collect data from low earth orbit (LEO); however, the costs to launch these satellites oftentimes hold back research from being conducted as even the cheapest methods to send them—secondary payloads—can bring the costs higher than recreationally feasible and thus hold back research. To serve as a proof of concept for a launch vehicle that could launch small satellites into orbit, I developed a model rocket that uses advanced applications of control theory in order to maintain a desired orientation. Using a 9 degrees of freedom inertial measurement unit for gyroscope data, a Kalman filter to improve the accuracy of the sensor readings, and a PID controller, I developed a vehicle that is capable of responding to errors in orientation. As launch vehicles become smaller, which is necessary to decrease the costs of launching small satellites, external factors such as wind have an increasing impact on the vehicle. This project serves as a proof of concept that advanced control is possible for small scale vehicles, and could one day be applied to LEO launch vehicles.

Competition history

• JSHS 2022 Category not listed

Resources

• National JSHS abstract book ↗

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