August 2005, Issue 181

Flight Computer for High-Power Rocketry

NEW DEVELOPMENTS

A new feature called “Talking Pay-load” is currently under development. After the microcontroller detects the launch condition, RF messages will be sent to a small RF ground box that will look up a programmed MP3 clip. A PA system in the LCO area will be hooked up to an FM transmitter that broadcasts on FM band 99.9. So, when the LCO makes an announcement about a rocket, it also will be sent over the FM waves for everyone on the flight line to hear.

A second audio channel on the PA system will enable the rocket to tell the spectators what’s going on inside the rocket. For example, as the rocket lifts off the pad, a message from the on-board flight computer will trigger a message to the MP3 ground station to play an MP3 clip: “Launch Detected on Pad 22.”

The MP3 clips will be preprogrammed using a text-to-speech program and stored on an SD card. As the rocket hits its apogee, the talking payload system will trigger a “Whoo Hoo!” audio clip. I’ll be able to output key data like the peak altitude and speed. This is just another example of a cool feature you can add with your own Zilog-based flight computer. I hope to test the system at a real launch this year.