Embedded systems and flight software project developed for the UTD AIAA L1 Rocketry Challenge. This project focuses on rocket avionics, sensor integration, flight data collection, trajectory simulation, and payload systems for high-powered rocket launches.
Built using embedded C/C++, PlatformIO, and Python-based aerospace simulation tools to support flight analysis, sensor telemetry, and rocket system testing.
This project was developed as part of the University of Texas at Dallas AIAA Rocketry Team for the L1 certification challenge.
The system integrates:
- onboard sensors,
- flight software,
- telemetry collection,
- trajectory simulations,
- and payload systems
to support stable and reliable rocket launches reaching over 1,500 feet in altitude.
The project combines aerospace engineering concepts with embedded programming and real-world hardware integration.
- Design and program embedded flight systems
- Collect and analyze rocket flight data
- Simulate rocket trajectories before launch
- Integrate onboard payload systems
- Improve launch reliability and stability
- Support Level 1 high-power rocketry certification
- C++
- Python
- PlatformIO
- VS Code
- ESP32 / microcontroller programming
- Sensor integration
- Flight data acquisition
- RocketPy
- OpenRocket
- Adafruit BMP280 sensor library
- Serial communication libraries
- Telemetry and sensor logging systems
Developed embedded flight software for handling:
- sensor readings,
- telemetry collection,
- onboard processing,
- and payload control.
Integrated environmental and altitude sensors including:
- BMP280 pressure sensor
- temperature monitoring systems
Used sensor data for:
- altitude estimation,
- atmospheric analysis,
- and flight monitoring.
Performed trajectory simulations using:
- RocketPy
- OpenRocket
Simulations helped estimate:
- flight altitude,
- stability,
- acceleration,
- and descent behavior.
Integrated payload systems including:
- onboard camera/video systems
- sensor logging components
The project involved:
- pre-flight trajectory modeling,
- launch stability testing,
- post-flight data analysis,
- and telemetry evaluation.
Collected flight data was used to compare:
- simulated performance
- vs actual launch performance.
- Simulate rocket trajectory using RocketPy/OpenRocket
- Configure embedded flight system
- Collect real-time sensor data during launch
- Record altitude and environmental measurements
- Analyze post-flight telemetry data
- Embedded Systems Programming
- Sensor Calibration
- Aerospace Simulation
- Flight Dynamics
- Data Collection & Telemetry
- Real-Time Systems
- Rocket Stability Analysis
L1_rocketry/
│
├── src/ # Embedded source code
├── include/ # Header files
├── lib/ # Custom libraries
├── test/ # Testing files
├── simulations/ # RocketPy/OpenRocket simulations
├── data/ # Flight data and logs
└── platformio.ini # PlatformIO configuration