AlectroSat

the progress of our flagship payload

AlectroSat 1.0 in its powered-on state. No micro SD card is installed in this shot.

Underside of AlectroSat 1.0, showing the wiring and power switch.

AlectroSat 1.0 in its payload-housing, ready for a launch on a water rocket.

alectrosat 1.0

In service May-June 2024: This was the first incarnation of the AlectroSat electronics payload. Version 1.0 featured an Arduino Nano microcontroller as its flight computer. It was also equipped with a BMP280 barometric pressure sensor, and a micro SD card reader for logging data. The payload could log altitude, barometric pressure, and temperature data. All the components were soldered to a protoboard with the wiring on the underside. A single switch controlled the power, which was supplied by a 9V battery.

AlectroSat 1.0 launched a handful of times atop a water rocket, with recovery accomplished via a parachute. Only a few of these test flights returned useful data, however, due to the SD card sometimes being cracked by the landing forces.

AlectroSat 1.1.

Another view of AlectroSat 1.1, showing the battery and USB port with camera.

alectrosat 1.1

Never flown. Developed from June-July 2024: AlectroSat 1.1 was the first step toward integrating the original -1.0 bus into the airframe of the Zephyr high-power rocket. A 3D-printed mount was designed, to which the AlectroSat was mounted. Another addition was a USB port which supplied power to a small camera.

Although it was never flown on a rocket, AlectroSat 1.1 was used for test-fits in the Zephyr rocket's nosecone.

AlectroSat 1.2, seen mounted in the lower section of the Zephyr rocket's nosecone.

Another view of AlectroSat 1.2. Note the rubber bands holding the 9V battery in place.

alectrosat 1.2

In service from July 2024-July 2025: AlectroSat 1.2 was a slightly improved version of -1.1. It featured a new 3D-printed mount that fit better in the Zephyr rocket's nosecone. AlectroSat 1.2 was the payload on Zephyr Flight 2, which took place on 13 September 2025. The launch was a success as the first time an AlectroSpace payload ever logged data during a high power rocket flight.

However, post-flight analysis of the data seemed to indicate a software error that called into question the accuracy of the altitude data. Another issue uncovered during the flight was that the micro SD card was very sensitive to vibrations, particularly the jolt upon landing. No data was recorded past the point of touchdown. Future versions of AlectroSat would need to correct these issues.

AlectroSat 1.3, with its new Uno R4 board on the right. The GPS module is on the left, just behind the black mini camera. A second SD card reader is mounted just above the GPS.

In this view, all the extra wiring and electrical tape are quite apparent!

alectrosat 1.3

In service from July 2025-September 2025: AlectroSat 1.3 was a heavy modification of version -1.2. In addition to a new rechargeable battery, the payload was now equipped with a second microcontroller, an Arduino Uno R4. Connected to the R4 were a GPS receiver and a second micro SD card reader. Some new hardware was 3D printed to attach all this to the existing -1.2 setup. The goal was to log GPS position and altitude, a crucial step for future AlectroSpace rockets.

AlectroSat 1.3's only launch was on Zephyr Flight 3, which took place on 13 September 2025. The GPS functioned exactly as intended, but the barometric altitude readings were still inaccurate. The error was later traced to a low sampling rate in the software. On a positive note, anti-vibration modifications made to the SD card readers were successful in preventing data loss upon landing.

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