Electronics question

you may want to check out the MissileWorks mPAC avionics platform at

or from the website:

Thanks, Iz.

Its along the lines of what I was thinking of, but I cringe every time I see the word "proprietary", as in their ACU RISC processor.

There's a zillion microcontrollers out there with embedded languages and OS's already and there are mature development systems for many of them; a prime requisite for do-it-yourselfers and hobbyists building their own systems and/or expansion modules.

A couple of my primary goals are not to get locked into a single commercial source scenario and to be able to build my own modules, ie, the interface and signal specs are published.

mPAC could certainly do all that, we'll just have to see how they implement it and if anyone else adopts their ideas.

After all, the PC compatible computer became so popular precisely because it was expandable and the interface specifications were "made available" to everyone. That's not to say a certain large computer company wouldn't have it done differently if given a chance to do it all over again. ;)

Probably the Roctronics site:

I am using this to confirm that a Kalman filter can be flown in a PIC based altimeter. But weather is playing havoc with my flight test schedule. :-)

Yes! Thanks much, David.

have you heard of or considered using TINI?

TINI® (Tiny InterNet Interface) technology is the compact and powerful solution for connecting a wide variety of hardware devices directly to corporate and home networks.

There's no complete development kit bundle, but there are only a few things you need, all readily available:

Hardware

• TINI Board
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  * Socket Board - provides connectors for serial cable, ethernet cable, power supply, and TINI Board
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  * Power supply/transformer * Modem cable

Software

• TINI Software (ftp://ftp.dalsemi.com/pub/tini/tini1_0.tgz) * Java 2 SDK
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  * Java Communications API
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  You will also need a desktop computer with an unused serial port and

10BaseT ethernet connection to your TINI.

The searchable listserv archive is available at

- iz

Gary wrote:

Let's see; a CCD, TINI, and WI-FI - a live internet launch broadcast

from my L1 cert.

"Now, what's the IP address of the launch detect switch?"

All sorts of issues eliminate most pre-built devices; G-forces, weight, size, power requirements, connectors, cables, etc.

The actual electronics are not the primary issue, reliably "gluing" a modular system together is the problem. Its why most of the available commercial devices incorporate as many functions as possible on a single PCB. Well, that and material cost.

Here's my scenario: An intelligent sequencer and data logger can accept input from a variety of modules. Simple systems use only what they need; less cost, weight, power, and space. Complex flights can load the system up with the number of stager, sensor, and actuator modules needed.

Questions: How do I attach multiple modules to the system and provide a power and data path? Daughter boards? Ribbon cable? How many pins? How will the modules talk to each other? Can I disconnect a (booster) module from the (sustainer) system in flight? Etc, etc.

These "problems" are easily solved once a system architecture is decided upon. I was just looking to see if anyone already had such a design or idea for a rocket-based system. I'm a tech, not an engineer. It is intructive to note that many electronic systems are literally defined by their interconnect and interface (bus) specifications.

why sure ... imagine doing a google search on how many rockets are prepped on launch pads right now and getting a real-time, global result?

then subscribe to the multicasted telemetry from your selected group of rockets

say, you'd never have to wonder if you armed your altimeter ... you can just ask it.

- iz

Gary wrote:

Tripoli and NAR would be able to remove every member using a USR motorby email. :) That's progress!