Development of a High-Performance Avionics System for Real-Time Guidance and Control in High-Power Vehicles

In recent decades, guided space-shot vehicles have successfully adhered to their preplanned trajectories with the help of advanced state estimation algorithms. However, these algorithms require reliable hardware platforms capable of supporting the high processing speeds necessary for real-time computation. This study aims to explore a system consisting of rigid hardware, including power management, microcontrollers, sensor integration, and telemetry. These systems are intended to be implemented as two Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs), which are modularized based on their functions within the overall system in a 3" × 7" format. The research involves power electronics design and optimization—studying and building energy-efficient circuitry to supply power to the entire onboard electrical system. Because of the use of a high-current actuator system, real-time power monitoring is essential to ensure nominal performance. Due to the rocket’s high velocity and short reaction time during flight, high-speed data lines such as SPI, QuadSPI, and Ethernet are implemented to reduce propagation delay within the electrical system. Additionally, real-time communication with the ground computer provides an essential safety mechanism, allowing mission control to initiate a controlled flight termination if necessary. This study offers valuable insights into high-performance avionics system design through rigorous signal integrity (SI) and power integrity (PI) analysis, culminating in thorough system validation and testing.