CATS: Empowering the next generation of rocket scientists through educational flight computers

TL;DR

This paper analyzes CATS's open-source flight computers and ground stations, demonstrating their technical capabilities and educational impact in supporting student-made rockets and advancing aerospace learning.

Contribution

It introduces a reliable, open-source flight computer system tailored for educational rocketry, with technical specifications and case studies from European competitions.

Findings

Enhanced telemetry and control capabilities for student rockets

Successful integration into European Rocketry Challenge

Positive educational and safety outcomes

Abstract

This paper presents an in-depth analysis of the Vega flight computer, and its corresponding ground station developed by CATS, a company producing open-source flight computers and tracking systems tailored for student-made rockets. These flight computers, designed to support rockets reaching altitudes of up to 30 km and possibly higher, play a crucial role in advancing educational rocketry and facilitating hands-on learning experiences in aerospace engineering. As the official sponsor of the European Rocketry Challenge (EuRoC), these flight computers have become integral to the competition, providing reliable and sophisticated telemetry and control capabilities that enhance both safety and performance. The paper delves into the technical specifications and educational impact of these systems, highlighting their contribution to the broader European rocketry programmes. Through comprehensive field data and case studies from the recent European Rocketry Challenge, this study underscores the potential of open-source flight computers to inspire the next generation of aerospace professionals.