The GNC subteam is responsible for development and testing of the rocket’s state estimation and active drag system. Guidance refers to trajectory planning (ie. determining where a vehicle should go). Navigation refers to determination of the vehicle’s position and velocity as well as its attitude (ie. where the vehicle is, where it is going and which direction it is pointing). Control refers to manipulation of the vehicle’s physical systems to command the vehicle to a desired position and/or velocity.

The GNC team develops a 1-degree of freedom (altitude) and 6-degree of freedom simulation (position and attitude) in Python in order to model the vehicle and sensor behavior and study the vehicle’s response to control input and is used to test and develop GNC system concepts using open-source python packages. The GNC team is also responsible for designing the control system mechanism, which involves presenting potential design solutions to the Spaceshot team. Previous examples of this include the roll control mechanism implemented on TARS Mk.2 as well as the active airbrake implemented on TARS Mk.3. We also further verify that the software we write will run in a real time operating constraint (less than 6 milliseconds) by implementing the GNC software in SILSIM (C++) and conduct tests in conjunction with the software team. 

Team members will learn how to use Siemens NX Computer Aided Design, Python and its various packages, C/C++. We will also teach members about and how to implement PID and LQR controllers and Kalman Filters. These also give members practical use of Linear Algebra, systems engineering, as well as Incompressible and Compressible Flow. We also introduce members to research paper reading skills. 

Interested in learning more? Check out our GitHub repo or Wiki!