research
Avionics Hardware
Arduino
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Familiar language: C | No concurrency/multithreading |
| Small & lightweight | More work to accomplish high-level tasks |
| Bare-metal programming, good for motors | Bare-metal programming -> less readable |
| Hardware interrupts | No onboard write storage |
Known examples
Raspberry Pi
More data/abbreviated specsheet here
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Any language | Runs operating system: background task interference |
| Concurrency/multithreading | Vibration concerns |
| High-level programming | High-level programming -> inefficient? |
| Onboard read-write storage | No hardware interrupts |
Known examples
M3 Avionics
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Open-source | Designed around somebody else’s rocket |
| Poorly documented | |
| Appears large and heavy |
Pixhawk
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| High level of sensor integration | Designed for drones, not rockets |
| Vibration design considerations | Unfamiliar programming environment |
| High level of redundancy | Expensive |
| Many variations | Many variations |
Link to main page: Pixhawk
I could not find any examples of Pixhawk being used in spaceflight, however it is very common in the UAS industry. UND owns several Pixhawk avionics units.
Beaglebone
Small SOC Linux-based computers. Comes in multiple variations.
Blue
Designed for robotics.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| High level of sensor integration | Not designed for high vibration |
| Extensive documentation | Expensive (not very) |
| Runs Debian Linux |
Link to page: BeagleBone Blue
Black
Designed for general-purpose computations.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Large number of I/O pins | Not designed for high vibration |
| Small size | Not designed for sensor integration |
| Integrated WiFi |
Link to page: BeagleBone Black
Enhanced
Designed to be an “enhanced” version of the BeagleBone Black.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Onboard sensors | Not designed for high vibration |
| Onboard WiFi/BT | Hard to find for purchase |
| Large number of I/O pins | |
| Inexpensive (~$70) |
Link to page: BeagleBone Enhanced
Check the dropdown menu labelled “BeagleBone Enhanced” for more hardware extensions (extra antennas, rechargeable batteries)