Rocketry

To design and simulate my rockets, I primarily use a tool called OpenRocket. Generally, I create an initial design based on my mental idea of what the rocket should look like, determining dimensions as I go. Then I adjust the length, weight distribution, and fin shape/size to get the stability to a good point. After this, I start to fine-tune the rocket, optimizing for apogee or something else, while keeping stability high and the ground impact velocity low, to ensure a smooth flight.

Once the rocket is fully planned out in OpenRocket, I can move on to creating a 3D model of any custom components. Autodesk Fusion is my go-to CAD software, and it is where I do all of my rocketry designs. For most of my rockets, the nosecone, any couplers/shoulders, and the fins and fin can are all 3D printed. This allows for a lot of customization in my rockets, allowing for easy iterations and small adjustments. I use my Bambu Lab P1S to print these parts, generally with PLA (specifically Bambu's PLA Tough+ at the moment). I assemble printed and non-printed parts (like body tubes) using two-part epoxy most of the time. I have used both a launch rod and a launch rail (mainly for ARC), and use my custom-built launch controller at launches.

Most of the work I've done with flight computers is based on logging altitude data, but I've worked on some 'smarter' rockets for ARC (like ones that use airbrakes). I currently use the Adafruit Feather RP2040 with a micro SD card, and Adafruit's BMP581 altimeter. It runs custom C++, which was heavily adapted from some of Auren's code. The airbrake systems I've made generally just use a 9g servo motor, either to do a singular latch deployment or to deploy to a specific amount.