Circuit Wizardry
control board
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A peek into the quality assurance process for STARLIGHT: Why is proper QA so important?
When I set out to create and sell my STARLIGHT model rocketry flight computers, I wanted to be sure that what I sold to customers would be high-quality and be a good value for the price. One important piece of that is the QA process, along with good customer support. As a small business owner,…
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Stepping into the world of 4 layer PCB design
This summer I took a class on power electronics through MIT, focused on voltage management and dealing with higher-power systems. It taught me a ton about PCB design as well as schematic design. It helped me conceptualize a board that I just finished designing for a secret new venture I’m working on – my most…
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STARLIGHT MINI flight computer and the drive to succeed.
A few months back, I began conceptualizing the idea of a much smaller and cheaper alternative to STARLIGHT. I understand it can be intimidating spending so much on a product from a small business that may or may not succeed. Because of this as well as further interest in PCB design and simplifying complex problems,…
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How do you get PCBs manufactured well and consistently?
One of the hardest parts of the circuit board design process is the manufacturing process – okay, you’ve got your schematic and your layout. What now? While milling your own circuit board with a CNC machine is possible, it requires expensive machinery and a good ventilation system. Even then, it’ll never be as precise as…
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ASCENT: Model Rocketry Launch Pad Electronics
This launch pad’s electronic control keeps systems active, facilitating ignition, safety, and ease of use, with a smart design that includes voltage regulators, servo ports, and an IMU for safer rocket launches.
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The design of MOONLIGHT – More power, smaller footprint!
Back in September after the launch of STARLIGHT, I began conceptualizing and designing a second board – MOONLIGHT. After reading through tons of comments & advice, I began work on the second iteration of STARLIGHT. I didn’t want to stop selling my original STARLIGHT board – it’s a cheaper option, and keeping it on the…
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TVC Hardware: the sister to STARLIGHT – The ultimate TVC gimbal
This is a bit of a shorter blog post, as it expands on my previous article. In one of my previous articles, I mentioned that I was going to be using an open-source TVC gimbal that I did not design myself. This, however, turned out to be a rabbit hole that was incredibly tedious, and…
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The hidden layer of HORIZON I: Software struggles
In the beginning, I simply wanted to build a self-stabilizing model rocket. This turned out to be a much more difficult task than I was prepared for. From PID loops to sensor fusion & integration, writing the thrust vector control (TVC) software was a huge struggle. There were many obstacles in my path to my…
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From hobbyist to design engineer: The story of STARLIGHT
The design of STARLIGHT represents a massive leap in my technical ability, and a huge milestone overall. However, I didn’t start from nothing. You may wonder what prompted me to begin designing my first circuit board? The beginning of STARLIGHT It all goes back to December of 2022, during a vacation to Oklahoma to visit…
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Starlight: The Ultimate Model Rocket Control Board
This is the story of Starlight, my model rocket control board. That’s right, at 16 years old, I designed a circuit board from scratch. And it works – beautifully. On the first revision! It’s my magnum opus thus far, and signifies a huge leap in my technical ability. So here’s the story of my circuit…
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