End-to-end engineering design for the IN-SPACe Model Rocketry India Student Competition 2026: mission requirements, system architecture, telemetry, avionics, recovery, safety, and review readiness — built by AstroForge at SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Trichy.
AstroForge is a student engineering team competing in IN-SPACe's national Model Rocketry competition. The mission: design, build, instrument, launch, and recover a model rocket carrying a 1 kg CAN-7U-class payload to 1000 m ± 100 m — and prove the result with continuous, ground-station-verified telemetry.
Translate textbook rocketry into a working flight system: airframe, avionics, recovery, ground station, and operations. Every choice traceable from a mission requirement to a verification result.
Practice the full lifecycle: PDR → CDR → FRR → Launch → Post-Flight Analysis. Develop discipline in requirements traceability, risk management, and review-driven engineering.
Solid motor is procured from IN-SPACe's identified vendors. AstroForge designs around the motor — no propellant chemistry, no pyrotechnics on payload separation, no hazardous payload.
Stage-gated reviews with traceability matrix, risk register, and compliance checklists.
Airframe ≤ 180 cm, fluorescent finish, mechanical motor retention, custom launch rail at 80°–85°.
GNSS (NavIC-capable), barometer, IMU, voltage monitor, redundant SD logging, COTS backup altimeter.
State machine flight FW, real-time UI with live plots, CSV export, USB hand-off post-flight.
Each row maps directly to the IN-SPACe Mission Requirement & Competition Guidelines Document (Doc.No.: IN-SPACe.MR.Model.CG.01, Issue 1). Status is updated through the project lifecycle.
| Requirement Area | Baseline | AstroForge Design Approach | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Target altitude | 1000 m ± 100 m | OpenRocket / RasAero simulation tuned to lift-off mass; trajectory margin reserved for wind & motor variance. | Planned |
| Payload mass | 1.0 kg ± 0.05 kg | CAN-7U-class payload bay with internal mounts; mass budget tracked weekly with calibrated balance. | In Progress |
| Rocket length / mass | ≤ 180 cm; ≤ 15 kg (Al) or ≤ 11.5 kg (PVC) | Configuration TBD pending material trade study; lift-off mass within ±5% of design value. | Planned |
| Motor | Solid motor, organizer-supplied, ≤ 2800 N·s | Procured exclusively from IN-SPACe-identified vendors. No in-house propellant or motor work. Mechanical retention. | Planned |
| Avionics | Position, altitude, pressure, temp, orientation, power, system state | Custom flight computer + COTS backup altimeter on redundant separation chain; environmentally enclosed. | In Progress |
| Telemetry | ≥ 1 Hz, ASCII CSV, 16 fields, real-time plots | Per Annexure-2 packet format; XBee/LoRa link; onboard SD redundancy; Flight_2026-INSPACe-ROCKETRY-505.csv. |
Planned |
| Ground station | Laptop + radio + antenna; 2 hr battery; portable | Field laptop with custom UI; elevated antenna, zero-set at pad, USB CSV export, tested for 1 km link margin. | Planned |
| Recovery | Parachute, descent rate 2–5 m/s ± 0.5 | Primary parachute deployed at apogee with mechanical (non-pyro) actuation; descent rate measurable on telemetry. | Planned |
| Documentation | PDR, CDR, FRR, PFA | Stage-gated reviews with requirements matrix, risk register, BOM, schedule. Editable JSON/Markdown content layer. | In Progress |
| Safety | No pyro, no hazardous payload | Zero-pyro mechanical separation, organizer-provided motor only, preflight checklist, range-safety brief, Go/No-Go gate. | Verified by design |
| Recovery markings | Team ID + contact in English / Hindi / regional language | Fluorescent (red/orange/pink) airframe with multilingual recovery labels. | Planned |
The lifecycle architecture below traces every engineering activity from initial requirements through post-flight analysis. Each stage produces an artifact that feeds the next.
Sequential flow with feedback loops at each design review.
Every block is a distinct engineering responsibility with its own design, validation, and review trail.
Functional grouping of airframe, avionics, payload, and ground systems.
For each subsystem: Purpose · Inputs · Outputs · Key Decisions · Validation · Risks · Mitigation.
Purpose: Decompose mission goals into subsystem requirements; maintain traceability and review readiness.
Inputs: IN-SPACe guidelines, simulation results, review feedback.
Outputs: Requirements matrix, schedule, BOM, risk register.
Key decisions: Material baseline (PVC vs Al), motor variant selection.
Validation: Review gates (PDR/CDR/FRR), Jury feedback.
Risks → Mitigation: Scope drift → frozen baseline at PDR, change control after CDR.
Purpose: Achieve static stability margin ≥ 1.5 cal and dynamically stable ascent.
Inputs: Mass distribution, motor thrust curve, fin geometry.
Outputs: CG/CP locations, stability margin, drag estimate.
Key decisions: Fin planform (trapezoidal), nose-cone profile (ogive/conical).
Validation: OpenRocket / RasAero simulation, swing test.
Risks → Mitigation: Marginal stability → ballast in nose, simulate with worst-case CG.
Purpose: Withstand launch loads, ejection shock, and landing impact.
Inputs: Material allowables, joint geometry, inertial loads.
Outputs: Margin-of-safety report, FEA plots, joint allowables.
Key decisions: PVC vs aluminum baseline, fastener pattern at thrust plate.
Validation: Hand calc + FEA, drop test, fit-check.
Risks → Mitigation: Joint failure → redundant fastener path, minimum FoS = 1.5.
Purpose: Enclose the CAN-7U-class payload, separate it cleanly at apogee.
Inputs: Payload OD, mass tolerance, separation altitude.
Outputs: Separation mechanism, internal mounts, no-sharp-edge layout.
Key decisions: Spring-based or motorized separation (zero pyro).
Validation: Bench separation test ≥ 10 cycles, drop test.
Risks → Mitigation: Hung separation → independent backup release on COTS altimeter.
Purpose: Sensing, logging, command, and event triggering.
Inputs: Power bus, sensor data, radio link.
Outputs: Telemetry packets, SD log, event signals (separation, recovery).
Key decisions: MCU selection, redundant chain topology.
Validation: HIL bench tests, environmental tests, polarity checks.
Risks → Mitigation: Power glitch → independent backup altimeter on its own battery.
Purpose: Run the flight state machine, sample sensors at ≥ 1 Hz, log, and transmit.
Inputs: Sensor reads, ground commands.
Outputs: Telemetry stream, event triggers, SD log.
Key decisions: Apogee-detect algorithm (baro + accel fusion).
Validation: Replay-from-CSV unit tests, brown-out reset test.
Risks → Mitigation: State loss after reset → persisted state in non-volatile memory.
Purpose: Reliable downlink of mission data and uplink command.
Inputs: 16-field packet, link budget, frequency allocation.
Outputs: Live data on ground UI, CSV file at session end.
Key decisions: XBee vs LoRa, antenna gain, NETID/PANID = team ID.
Validation: Range test ≥ 1 km, interference test pre-launch.
Risks → Mitigation: Dropout → onboard SD redundant log, post-flight USB hand-off.
Purpose: Real-time visualization, command, and data persistence.
Inputs: Radio packets, operator commands.
Outputs: Live plots, CSV file, telemetry health view.
Key decisions: UI framework (Python/Qt or web), zero-set workflow.
Validation: 2-hour battery soak, packet-loss simulation, end-to-end dress rehearsal.
Risks → Mitigation: Laptop crash → second laptop hot-spare with synced config.
Purpose: Bring vehicle and payload down at 2–5 m/s ± 0.5 safely.
Inputs: Total descent mass, allowable terminal velocity, deployment altitude.
Outputs: Parachute size, harness, deployment sequence.
Key decisions: Chute diameter from descent-rate equation; mechanical (non-pyro) ejection.
Validation: Drop test, deploy bench test under 30 g shock proxy.
Risks → Mitigation: Tangle → fold protocol + sized deployment bag.
Purpose: Stable rail launch with verifiable angle and remote ignition.
Inputs: Lug spacing, ground anchor strategy, ignition wiring.
Outputs: Launch pad assembly, ignition box, range checklist.
Key decisions: Tripod stability, remote ignition standoff distance.
Validation: Angle protractor jury check, rail-friction test.
Risks → Mitigation: Tip-off instability → adjustable feet + ground stakes.
Purpose: Demonstrate every requirement is met before flight.
Inputs: Test plan, calibrated equipment, verification matrix.
Outputs: Test reports, anomaly logs, verification status.
Key decisions: Test ordering — bench → environmental → integrated → dress rehearsal.
Validation: CDR + FRR sign-off on each closed test.
Risks → Mitigation: Late-discovered failures → buffer week before FRR.
Purpose: Enforce IN-SPACe rules, range safety, and team safety culture.
Inputs: IN-SPACe rules, faculty advisor review, mentor sign-off.
Outputs: Preflight checklist, no-pyro declaration, hazard log, Go/No-Go.
Key decisions: Mechanical-only separation, organizer-supplied motor only.
Validation: Jury inspection at FRR; signed checklist before pad load.
Risks → Mitigation: Procedural slip → two-person verification on every pad step.
Purpose: Maintain auditable records of design, test, and operations.
Inputs: Engineering outputs from every subsystem.
Outputs: PDR doc, CDR doc, FRR pack, PFA report, traceability matrix.
Key decisions: Single source of truth (Git/SharePoint) with naming convention.
Validation: Cross-check against IN-SPACe document checklists.
Risks → Mitigation: Documentation gaps → owner per section, weekly cadence review.
A diagram per concept — lifecycle, context, hardware, software, telemetry, ground, recovery, reviews, traceability, risk, test, post-flight.
From registration to results — IN-SPACe 2026 indicative timeline (subject to organizer notice).
Team registration on IN-SPACe portal; nomination letter and registration fee submitted.
Mission decomposition, system concept, simulation plan, requirements traceability v1.
One-week IN-SPACe hands-on rocketry workshop; scaled-down rocket build & launch.
Finalized design, CAD, material selection, avionics architecture, full test plan, BOM.
Integrated vehicle inspection, telemetry & recovery readiness, Go/No-Go.
Field deployment, telemetry capture, recovery, USB CSV hand-off.
Altitude reconciliation, telemetry review, anomaly log, lessons learned, final report.
Who and what AstroForge interacts with.
Schematic exploded view from nose cone to motor mount.
Sensor, compute, power, radio, and storage layout — including the redundant COTS chain.
Sensor → packet → radio → ground UI → CSV → review.
Pad-side operator workflow from boot-up to file delivery.
Apogee detection through landing — non-pyro, mechanical actuation.
Each gate produces a sign-off and feedback loop into the next phase.
From mission requirement to verified result, every link is documented.
Identify → assess → mitigate → re-assess.
Test ordering — bench → environmental → integrated → dress rehearsal.
CSV ingest → reconciliation → anomaly tagging → final report.
The flight FW always knows where it is. On reset, the last persisted state is reloaded — apogee never gets missed because the MCU rebooted.
Each transmitted packet at every state contains: PACKET_COUNT, TIMESTAMP, ALTITUDE, PRESSURE, TEMP, VOLTAGE, GNSS_*, ACCELEROMETER_DATA, GYRO_SPIN_RATE, and the current FLIGHT_SOFTWARE_STATE.
Persisted state in non-volatile memory (EEPROM/flash) is updated on every state transition. On unexpected reset, FW boots → reads last state → resumes appropriate behavior:
ASCENT or earlier → re-enter sensor check then proceed.APOGEE_DETECT or later → command immediate recovery deploy via backup chain.This satisfies IN-SPACe Section 5.4(v): "In the event of a processor reset during the mission, the flight software shall be able to determine the correct state."
File naming: Flight_2026-INSPACe-ROCKETRY-505.csv. Generated on the ground station as the live downlink sink; backed up by onboard SD log.
| # | Field | Function | Resolution / Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | TEAM_ID | Team identifier | 2026-INSPACe-ROCKETRY-505 |
| 2 | TIME_STAMP | Time since power-on | seconds |
| 3 | PACKET_COUNT | Sequential packet counter | integer |
| 4 | ALTITUDE | Barometric altitude vs ground | 0.1 m |
| 5 | PRESSURE | Atmospheric pressure | 1 Pa |
| 6 | TEMP | Air / sensor temperature | 0.1 °C |
| 7 | VOLTAGE | Power bus voltage | 0.01 V |
| 8 | GNSS_TIME | GNSS UTC time | seconds |
| 9 | GNSS_LATITUDE | GNSS latitude | 0.0001° |
| 10 | GNSS_LONGITUDE | GNSS longitude | 0.0001° |
| 11 | GNSS_ALTITUDE | GNSS altitude | 0.1 m |
| 12 | GNSS_SATS | Satellites in fix | integer |
| 13 | ACCELEROMETER_DATA | 3-axis acceleration | m/s² |
| 14 | GYRO_SPIN_RATE | Spin rate about long axis | deg/s |
| 15 | FLIGHT_SOFTWARE_STATE | Current FW state | BOOT / IDLE / ASCENT / … |
| 16 | OPTIONAL_DATA | Reserved for optional experiment | free-form |
TEAM_ID,TIME_STAMP,PACKET_COUNT,ALTITUDE,PRESSURE,TEMP,VOLTAGE,GNSS_TIME,GNSS_LATITUDE,GNSS_LONGITUDE,GNSS_ALTITUDE,GNSS_SATS,ACCELEROMETER_DATA,GYRO_SPIN_RATE,FLIGHT_SOFTWARE_STATE,OPTIONAL_DATA 2026-INSPACe-ROCKETRY-505,0.0,0001,0.0,101325,28.5,7.40,12:00:00,0.0000,0.0000,0.0,0,0.00,0.0,PAD_READY, 2026-INSPACe-ROCKETRY-505,1.0,0002,0.2,101324,28.5,7.40,12:00:01,0.0000,0.0000,0.1,8,0.10,0.1,PAD_READY, 2026-INSPACe-ROCKETRY-505,2.0,0003,1.4,101310,28.4,7.39,12:00:02,0.0000,0.0000,1.5,9,118.50,2.4,LAUNCH_DETECT, 2026-INSPACe-ROCKETRY-505,3.0,0004,84.6,100302,27.9,7.38,12:00:03,0.0000,0.0000,84.0,9,72.30,4.1,ASCENT, 2026-INSPACe-ROCKETRY-505,8.0,0009,612.8,094088,24.1,7.36,12:00:08,0.0000,0.0000,610.5,10,4.20,3.8,ASCENT, 2026-INSPACe-ROCKETRY-505,12.0,0013,995.1,090112,22.0,7.34,12:00:12,0.0000,0.0000,994.0,10,-9.80,2.6,APOGEE_DETECT, 2026-INSPACe-ROCKETRY-505,12.5,0014,994.8,090117,22.0,7.34,12:00:12,0.0000,0.0000,994.0,10,-9.80,1.2,PAYLOAD_DEPLOY, 2026-INSPACe-ROCKETRY-505,13.5,0015,968.4,090420,22.1,7.33,12:00:13,0.0000,0.0000,967.0,10,-9.80,0.8,RECOVERY_DEPLOY, 2026-INSPACe-ROCKETRY-505,30.0,0031,612.0,094090,24.1,7.32,12:00:30,0.0000,0.0000,612.5,10,-9.80,0.4,DESCENT, ...
TEAM_ID field is the only team identifier. Real GNSS coordinates are zeroed in this example deliberately.The ground station is the only place the flight is "real" before recovery. It must be reliable in the field, in the sun, and over a 1 km link.
| Requirement | Spec |
|---|---|
| Battery autonomy | ≥ 2 hours under continuous receive + plot |
| Antenna range | ≥ 1 km clear-line to launch pad / max altitude |
| Setup time | ≤ 15 minutes from box to receiving |
| Relocation | One-person carry; under 5 minutes to redeploy |
| Data persistence | CSV auto-saved every 10 s; never lost on crash |
Every design choice answers to safety first. AstroForge follows IN-SPACe safety rules without exception: no propellant work, no pyrotechnics, no hazardous payload.
| Area | GO criterion | NO-GO trigger |
|---|---|---|
| Mass | Lift-off mass within ±5% of design | Out of band → reweigh / rebuild |
| Avionics | All sensors valid, COTS backup armed | Any failed self-test |
| Telemetry | ≥ 95% packets at GS, RSSI nominal | Excessive dropout or interference |
| Recovery | Chute folded, harness intact, deploy bench-tested | Tangled fold / damaged harness |
| Pad | Angle 80°–85° jury-verified, area clear | Angle out of band; hazard near pad |
| Weather | Within IN-SPACe range envelope | Wind / rain outside envelope |
The list below is the canonical set of analyses AstroForge will produce. Numerical values populate as the design baseline freezes. No motor / propellant manufacturing analysis is in scope.
Locate centre of gravity and centre of pressure; require static margin ≥ 1.5 cal (target ≥ 2.0 cal).
Method: OpenRocket model + analytical Barrowman; verified by swing test.
Computed at ignition with vendor motor thrust curve and finalized lift-off mass; target T/W ≥ 5.
Coefficient of drag (Cd) estimate from frontal area, fin geometry, surface roughness; verified by simulation altitude back-calculation.
Trapezoidal fin sized for static margin and minimum flutter speed > max ascent speed × 1.5 safety factor.
Terminal velocity from total descent mass and parachute Cd·A; target 2–5 m/s ± 0.5.
Diameter from descent-rate equation: d = √(8·m·g / (π·ρ·v²·Cd)); verified by drop test.
OpenRocket / RasAero with motor curve, drag, mass; sensitivity sweep over wind, mass tolerance, motor variance.
Tx power, antenna gain, free-space path loss at 1 km, receiver sensitivity; required margin ≥ 10 dB.
Energy = Σ(load × duration) for 30 min pad wait + flight + recovery; design margin ≥ 1.5×.
Hand calc + FEA at thrust plate, fin root, payload bay joints; min FoS = 1.5 against yield.
15 g launch acceleration, 30 g shock at separation; verified via accelerometer log review.
Subsystem-level mass tracking; lift-off mass ±5% of design value enforced through CDR.
Each review is a stage gate. Failing a gate stops the project at that gate.
A truncated extract is shown below; the full matrix lives in the PDR/CDR documents and is updated each review cycle.
| Req ID | Requirement | Source | Design Solution | Verification Method | Status | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R-001 | Reach 1000 m ± 100 m apogee | IN-SPACe §4.1 | Sim-tuned mass + motor selection | Telemetry + barometer | Planned | Medium |
| R-002 | Carry 1 kg ± 0.05 kg payload | IN-SPACe §5.2 | CAN-7U bay with mounts | Pre-flight weigh-in | In Progress | Low |
| R-003 | Solid motor from approved vendor | IN-SPACe §5.1 | Vendor procurement | Vendor invoice review | Planned | Low |
| R-004 | Telemetry ≥ 1 Hz, ASCII CSV, 16 fields | IN-SPACe §5.6 | Flight FW logger + GS writer | Bench test + range test | Planned | Low |
| R-005 | COTS backup altimeter on redundant chain | IN-SPACe §5.1.xv | Independent altimeter + battery | Bench arming test | Planned | Low |
| R-006 | Descent rate 2–5 m/s ± 0.5 | IN-SPACe §5.7.iii | Parachute sized to spec | Drop test + telemetry | Planned | Medium |
| R-007 | Survive 15 g acceleration / 30 g shock | IN-SPACe §5.3 | FEA-validated structure | FEA + drop test | In Progress | Medium |
| R-008 | No pyrotechnic devices | IN-SPACe §5.1.xi | Mechanical separation only | Design inspection | Verified | Low |
| R-009 | Multilingual recovery markings | IN-SPACe §5.3.ii | Painted labels (Eng/Hindi/regional) | Visual inspection | Planned | Low |
| R-010 | Ground station ≥ 2 hr battery, portable | IN-SPACe §5.5.xii | Laptop + power bank, packed kit | 2 hr soak test | Planned | Low |
Risks are reviewed at every gate. Each risk has an owner role (no personal names listed) and a status that updates with mitigation progress.
| Risk ID | Risk | Cause | Impact | P | S | Mitigation | Owner Role | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RK-01 | Altitude undershoot/overshoot | Mass tolerance, wind, motor variance | Score impact, mission failure | Med | High | Sim sensitivity sweep, mass discipline, ballast slots | Aero Lead | Active |
| RK-02 | Telemetry dropout | Interference, range, antenna orientation | Loss of grading data | Med | Med | Onboard SD redundant log, range pre-test, NETID set | Comms Lead | Active |
| RK-03 | Avionics power failure | Battery, connector, brown-out | No telemetry, no recovery trigger | Low | High | COTS backup altimeter on independent battery; no spring contacts | Avionics Lead | Planned |
| RK-04 | Recovery failure | Tangled chute, deploy mech jam | Hard landing, vehicle loss | Low | High | Drop tests, fold protocol, redundant trigger | Recovery Lead | Planned |
| RK-05 | Payload separation issue | Mech jam, asymmetric force | No payload deploy → score 0 | Low | High | Bench cycle test ≥ 10×, backup release on COTS | Payload Lead | Planned |
| RK-06 | Unstable flight | Marginal static margin, fin damage | Erratic trajectory, range safety | Low | High | Margin ≥ 2 cal target, swing test, pre-flight fin inspection | Aero Lead | Planned |
| RK-07 | Excessive descent rate | Undersized chute, harness break | Out-of-spec landing | Low | Med | Sized to 3 m/s nominal, harness FoS ≥ 2 | Recovery Lead | Planned |
| RK-08 | Late integration | Schedule slip, vendor delay | FRR slip → no launch slot | Med | High | Buffer week before FRR, weekly burndown, parallel work streams | Project Lead | Active |
| RK-09 | Documentation gaps | Owner ambiguity, version drift | Review failure | Med | Med | Section owners, weekly doc review, single-source repo | Systems Lead | Active |
P = Probability, S = Severity. Owner roles are listed (not personal names) consistent with project privacy practice.