Development of Rover with ARLISS Requirements and the Examination of the Rate of Acceleration that Causes Damages During a Rocket Launch

Abstract

In recent years, CanSats have become a popular choice in simulated satellite contests. Among CanSat contests, the ARLISS project is the one that uses rockets to launch the CanSat into the sky. ARLISS provides rockets to launch CanSats, which reach an altitude of ∼4,000 m and then drop the rover to the ground using a parachute. However, the rovers of several teams cannot withstand the large acceleration applied during the launch, which damage and make them non-operational. The acceleration applied to the rocket during the launch was measured by multiple teams previously; however, because the CanSat is a small-embedded device, an acceleration sensor with a wide measurement range and a high sampling frequency could not be used. In this study, we measure the acceleration applied to the rover from the launch till it drops on the ground using an acceleration sensor with a wider measurement range, and by acquiring data at a higher sampling frequency than before. The acceleration is found to be larger than that in the conventional measurement when the rocket is launched and it drops to the ground. Further, the descriptions of the technical details of the rover structure that can withstand these impacts, perform accurate measurements, and operate without breakage in ARLISS are provided.