30 MAY/JUNE 2017 SPORT ROCKETRY
Custom software was installed on the smartphone to perform rover
maneuvers. This software also supplied the live POV video feed
to "ground control" from the smartphone camera (see Figure 19).
Additional software was utilized to create an uplink from the
smartphone to a Chromebook (Ground Control) via 4G LTE. Com-
munication points end-to-end looks like this:
[CHROMEBOOK "Ground Control"] 4G LTE
[SMARTPHONE (Lander)] Bluetooth [ROVER
Considering launch sites are generally "off the beat-
en path," I had a backup plan for communications:
Should there be an issue with 4G LTE in the field, I
had a less impressive (albeit effective) WiFi alternative.
Small battery powered hotspots were configured to cre-
ate a 1000-ft. WiFi mesh on the field. This mesh would
be manually deployed as a substitute communications
method in the event 4G LTE failed or was unavailable:
[CHROMEBOOK "Ground Control"] WiFi Mesh
[SMARTPHONE (Lander)] Bluetooth [ROVER
The WiFi alternate would require us to move
"ground control" into the field (closer to the lander),
position the hotspots, and wait for the failover to initi-
ate. Again, not as sexy but better than nothing!
Figure 16. To get the desired 3-5 fps descent rate
for the lander, a Fruity Chutes Iris Ultra 120"
parachute was needed.
Figure 17. The 120" compact lander parachute folds
up into a relatively small bundle.
Figure 18.
A preflight photo
showing the prepping
of the launch vehicle
recovery system.
