Hey! This is a rocket that I have been developing to angle the rocket motor in different directions to keep itself upright and deploy the parachutes.

Project Overview

"Project Zenith" represents the pinnacle of hobbyist aerospace engineering: Active Stabilization. Traditional model rockets rely on static fins for aerodynamic stability, but Zenith utilizes Thrust Vector Control (TVC) to guide itself autonomously. By physically gimbaling the rocket motor’s thrust vector in response to real-time orientation data, the rocket can maintain a perfectly vertical ascent even in the presence of crosswinds or mechanical misalignments.

Technical Deep-Dive

• The TVC Gimbal Mechanism:
  • Dual-Axis Vectoring: The rocket motor is housed in a precision 3D-printed gimbal. Driven by two micro-servos, this mount can pivot approximately ±10 degrees in the X and Y axes. This small angular shift is sufficient to counteract the rocket's moment of inertia during the high-thrust phase.
  • Inertial Sensing (MPU6050): The flight computer utilizes an MPU6050 Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU). By fusing accelerometer and gyroscope data via a Complementary Filter or Kalman Filter, the Arduino calculates the rocket's pitch and yaw angles with millisecond precision.
• PID Control Loop Logic:
  • Closed-Loop Stability: The heart of the flight software is a Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) controller.
    • Proportional: Corrects the error in real-time.
    • Integral: Accounts for accumulated drift or constant wind-loading.
    • Derivative: Predicts future error to dampen oscillations (preventing "fishtailing").
  • High-Frequency Execution: The PID loop runs at a minimum of 100Hz to ensure that the gimbal response is faster than the rocket's natural frequency of oscillation.

Engineering & Circuit Implementation

• Flight Computer Architecture:
  • While the Arduino UNO handles the primary control logic, the project emphasizes optimized code to minimize "Loop Jitter." The use of non-blocking I2C communication and timer-driven interrupts ensures that servo PWM signals remain stable under load.
• Aeronautical Recovery Systems:
  • Apogee Detection: Integrated with a BMP280 Barometric Pressure Sensor, the flight computer monitors altitude in real-time. A "Negative Δ-Altitude" event triggers the parachute deployment mechanism, ensuring safe recovery.
• Power Rail Isolation:
  • Servo Back-EMF: Rapid movement of the gimbal servos can create significant electrical noise. The system utilizes dedicated decoupling capacitors and separate power traces to ensure that the IMU’s sensitive I2C bus remains clean and error-free during high-maneuverability phases of flight.

Conclusion

Project Zenith bridges the gap between toy rocketry and professional aerospace systems, providing a hands-on platform for learning the complexities of active flight stabilization and orbital mechanics.

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Zenith Orbit: Mastering the physics of ascent through active stabilization.