The Avionics department is responsible for the software and electronics that govern the operation of all the sounding rocket’s components during flight. It directs the selection of COTS flight computers, configuring and operating them during launch campaigns. It designs and builds the electronic boards that will be mounted on the rocket or used on the ground for motor ignition and telemetry reception. It develops the flight and ground software, along with all the scripts needed to support the team’s activities.
Using ECAD software, members of the Electronics subgroup define the connections between electronic components by drawing up the electrical schematic. Next, the PCB dimensions are defined, components are placed, and the copper pads are connected to one another in an operation known as “PCB routing.” Once the boards are received from the manufacturer, members carry out any necessary component soldering and proceed to test all their functionalities.
The flight software is the code executed by the avionics boards inside the sounding rocket. Every one of its functions is particularly critical: reading sensor data and reconstructing the rocket’s attitude are essential for triggering the airbrakes and commanding parachute deployment. Sensor data is collected onboard and saved to dedicated memory, with a selection of it transmitted to the ground via radio, allowing the team to track the rocket’s status throughout the mission.
The Ground Station is the set of electronic boards, computers, and software the team uses to display and record telemetry coming from the sounding rocket. The Ground Station is responsible for sending commands and configuration changes, from the moment the rocket is integrated and positioned on the launch rail until its recovery after flight.
Note that the requirments depend on the division you want to join, although in most cases a strict collaboration between the two is necessary.
SOFTWARE:
HARDWARE: