Air Brake

Lead Designer

Jan 2022 - June 2023

Air Brake System V5: FINAL

(April - June 2023)

  • The rails created metal-on-metal contact which drastically increased friction. We moved away from rails and installed linear bearings instead.

  • Unfortunately, the electric motor gears were destroyed in-transit to the Mohave Desert, CA. Because of this, the Air Brake was not operational for Star Queen’s Launch and we could not test the Bang-Bang control algorithm we developed.

  • However, since the Air Brake doubled as a body coupler, we did use it as such and the launch acted as its first field test. It was a major success and performed as designed.

Air Brake System V5: MANUFACTURING

(April - May 2023)

  • Designed a jig to consistently cut air brake fin slots into the rocket body and coupler.

  • Lined up slots and drilled mounting holes.

  • Ensured safe handling of fiberglass.

Air Brake System V4:

(Dec 2022 - April 2023)

After prototyping V4 and hosting an official Critical Design Review (CDR) with industry professionals, we recognized a few improvements:

  • Moving the motor drive to the backside of the assembly saved space.

  • Use the mounting plate as a rocket body coupler to reduce weight.

Finished prototyping and begun ordering final components.

Air Brake System V3:

(Sept - Nov 2022)

  • Fins now activated by a curved actuation plate. Curve optimized to reduce friction.

  • Support rod through centre while motor attaches to small gear.

  • Fins no longer sweep the rocket body, allowing for more structural support.

Air Brake System V2:

(April - May 2022)

Due to our inadequate motor, we could not get full activation in the prototype.

  • Supports moved from the outer edge to rods that pass through the bearings.

  • This design's fatal flaw is that the fins sweep the body of the rocket, effectively cutting it in half. This requires additional support to join the two halves of the rocket

  • By offsetting the power gear from the fin gears, there is substantially more room for larger fins.

  • Awarded $200 at the 2022 Newspace Chicago Space Congress.

Air Brake System V1:

(Jan - April 2022)

  • Easy to prototype and manufacture

  • Simple mechanical design reduces failure nodes

  • Yields acceptable deployed surface area from fins.

  • Room for structural supports