Student Rocket Experiment B2D2 - Power System

Abstract: The B2D2 student experiment aims to study theEarth magnetic field by releasing a free falling unit (FFU) from asounding rocket. The power system of the FFU needs to supply allsubsystems with sufficient power and energy during the flight.This is achieved with two lithium cells and voltage regulatorsthat produce the required voltages and can deliver the necessarycurrent. The voltage regulators are tested on prototype PCBsand their performance evaluated. An attitude determination andcontrol system is needed to stabilise the FFU after release. Motordrive systems are custom designed for this purpose. The powerconsumption of the FFU is computer-simulated based on mea-surements on existing hardware. According to tests conducted,switching regulator designs with inductors are the best candidatesfor the power system. The chosen designs have sufficient marginsin current capacity to power the experiment during the durationof the mission with the chosen battery cells.