Rocketry Planet

EL CAJON, California USA — ROCKET ELECTRONICS is pleased to announce the release of the next generation of its flagship product. The RockeTiltometer^TM 2 is an enhanced, yet lower cost version of its award winning attitude-based ignition control system.

The RockeTiltometer 2 features new updates, additional features, and a lower pricetag.

Successfully utilized in several complex high powered rocketry projects, including the latest mega-project by Steve Eves (see story in the June 2011 issue of Rockets Magazine), the RockeTiltometer is designed to avoid ignition of air-started motors in the event of adverse-attitude flight.

According to Frank Hermes, chief developer of the newest RockeTiltometer at the ROCKET ELECTRONICS facility in Southern California, “We are pleased to be able to bring such innovative and exciting technology to the model rocketry community. Our goal is to primarily facilitate safety, but also to bring new user tools to the hobby which incorporate some of the increasingly available high-tech devices that can enhance the chance of ultimate success of the more complex rocketry projects.

We are very proud of our new ULTRASAFE^TM ignition circuit monitoring and control system. Developed especially for the RockeTiltometer 2, ULTRASAFE monitors several aspects of the overall system and attached devices in order to help assure that the user can safely attach igniters to the electronics well ahead of the usual practice. When we were supporting Steve Eves during his project out in Maryland, as well as experience gained from our own 2-stage rockets, we decided to incorporate some advanced circuitry to simplify the air-start igniter connection process. The feature even checks for a shorted ignition output transistor switch prior to applying the ignition battery. Hopefully, the advent of ULTRASAFE will mark a new phase in the hobby where most of the upcoming electronics are similarly equipped. This should greatly add to the safety aspect, specifically of the larger, more complex/dangerous projects, but also to the safety and enjoyment of almost any rocketry experience.”

Frank added, “We have been able to get quite a lot of cost out of the new RockeTiltometer 2 by incorporating all the electronics onto one PC board and taking more of the fabrication, assembly and test in house. We have also integrated the formerly optional data logger microSD card, as well as adding a 3-axes magnetometer to the system to improve its ability to absorb the impact of some rocket spin during flight. The original RockeTiltometer had a standard spin rate about the vertical axis of 120 degrees per second, with a special order option to take it to 360 d/s – now we specify an acceptable spin rate of more than 500 degrees per second as standard".

"The new price point of $249, complete, should allow access to many more users and again, hopefully increase the safety of our sport.”

Deliveries should begin by the first week of September and can now be pre-ordered at www.rocketelectronics.com .

RockeTiltometer 2 Key Features

• Mount it, wire it up, set the critical angle, turn the system on, activate and arm the ignition circuit and launch!
• No computer interface required
• If the critical angle has been exceeded, any ignition trigger signals are ignored
• Three slide switches determine the critical angle from 5-40 degrees, in 5 degree increments
• Positive or negative polarity ignition trigger inputs are provided will interface with virtually any available timer or altimeter/flight computer
• High-capacity MOSFET for system ignition circuit capable of switching up to 20 amps at 12 volts for 2 seconds
• Audible diagnostic tones or remote indicators report monitoring of all circuits
• Each circuit is terminated on two terminals on the system board – no on or off board splicing required
• Integrated flight data logger with removable microSD card
• Built-in launch detection
• Internal: accelerometer-determined at liftoff for standard flights
• External: on-board test point for ground testing
• ULTRASAFE^TM ignition control circuitry
• At initialization:
• Check for shorted ignition output FET
• Check for premature ignition battery connection
• Check for missing logger microSD card
• Check for premature external trigger signal
• At pad system prompts for proper ignition arming sequence
• Continuously checks for:
• Premature launch condition
• Premature trigger signal application
• Loss of igniter continuity