DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT, AND FLIGHT TESTING OF A MODULAR AVIONICS AND VEHICLE MONITORING SYSTEM

Abstract

As more rocket components become commercially available, the feasibility of a low-cost rocket-powered vehicle with capabilities tailored to the needs of the Navy, such as delivering payloads, countering drones, and reliable communications, increases. The avionics bay of such a system is essential as it provides guidance and control to the vehicle and can incorporate a vehicle health monitoring system to transmit vital parameters and document various issues that can arise during flight, which could lead to unexpected flight performance and/or failure.

A modular avionics bay was designed to provide flexibility, allow for new hardware requirements and future system improvements, and ensure reliable and proper connections for electronic components to sustain tactical launch and flight vibrations. This effort seeks to give the U.S. Navy more cost-symmetric options and capabilities for a rocket-powered vehicle that adapts to changing mission requirements and technology.

A data logging system with a high sampling rate and telemetry capability was also developed to document the forces imposed on the flight system and collect future flight-test data. This data will allow a representative structural vibration spectrum of a delivery vehicle over tactical flight profiles to be constructed, such that future avionics components be certified pre-flight utilizing a shaker table and an established protocol.