Authors:

Thendral Kamal

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Not specified

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About Paper:

PREVIEW is a student-led project to develop an onboard video payload for hypersonic flight, aimed at capturing high-resolution footage of rocket exterior surface conditions during extreme thermal and aerodynamic loading. In collaboration with Pluto Aerospace and an external manufacturing client, the payload is integrated into a system designed to withstand relevant hypersonic conditions and support the visual evaluation of material behavior and surface finish response in flight. Designed, built, and tested by students over two semesters, PREVIEW features a custom-machined aluminum wedge test section housing a Raspberry Pi Zero microcontroller, a high-speed Pi Camera Module 3, and sensors monitoring pressure and acceleration. Over Summer 2025, our team led end-to-end testing of all flight electronics, including breadboard prototyping, sensor calibration, power validation, and system-level integration. We simulated expected flight conditions to evaluate robustness during launch. Alongside these efforts, we finalized the circuit layout and completed the full CAD model, with flight hardware currently in production. The payload is scheduled for launch in late August 2025. PREVIEW will demonstrate the viability of compact, student-engineered payloads for high-speed data collection. The successful integration of video capture and sensor systems will provide valuable insights into the effects of hypersonic flight on surface finishes. The PREVIEW platform also offers a cost-effective model for integrating diagnostic payloads into commercial and experimental flights, supporting materials testing and accelerating innovation in thermal protection systems across the aerospace industry. Keywords: Hypersonic Flight Testing; Rocket Payload Design; Flight Electronics Testing; Thermal and Structural Flight Testing; Aerospace Instrumentation † Presenting Undergrad Author; ‡ Contributing Undergrad Author; * Undergrad Acknowledgment

Source:

Purdue University / 2025

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No topics listed

Co-authors:

Thendral Kamal