Please explain the purpose of operation: |
Raytheon plans to characterize the performance of these new rocket motors by transmitting in-flight telemetry to the ground station. The testing will use off-the-shelf radio technology to see if the selected radios can be used for this purpose. The radios selected are small, lightweight, easily deployable, and affordable. These qualities make them ideal radio systems for transmitting the telemetry information needed to track the rocket and its performance in flight.
Prior to flight of the rocket, the radio in the rocket will be calibrated with the radio on the ground. The operations will use one frequency for each flight from the frequency range requested in the application. The rocket will use one internal whip antenna attached to a radio on the circuit board in its section of the rocket. That antenna has no gain. The ground-based radios will transmit only during this set up time, using two Yagi antennas. When the rocket is in flight, it will transmit telemetry data to the ground station.
During the rocket flight, the program will use Yagi antenna receivers on the ground to track the rocket and gather telemetry information.
The rocket booster will be released from the payload at a designated point during the flight. At that point, the booster will release a parachute that lowers the booster safely to the ground. The payload will also release its own parachute for safe landing. The embedded GPS chip will use the radio to transmit the rocket location so that it can be recovered.
The radio link will not control flight functions. The radio link will only be used for telemetry data. |