GDT1 - Video Camera Rocket

	Rockets Down Under		GDT-1 Video Camera Rocket
	David Boyd's Australian Rocketry Home Page

The GDT-1 Video Camera Rocket

The GDT was conceived as a group project in late 1998. The concept was to build a large two stage high powered rocket with an advanced payload including real-time video tranmission capability.

This was to be our largest rocket so far, powered by a cluster of three L motors in the booster, and a single L motor in the sustainer. Initially the plan called for the launch of the upper stage only. The purpose of the first flight (GDT-1) was to:

Flight test the airframe, motors, and payload.
Prove the concept and design.
Receive real-time in-flight color video trannsmission.
Gain knowledge that would be transferred to subsequent flights.

Download an MPEG video image of the launch from this page.

	Here is the GDT-1 on the pad ready for its flight. The camera housing can clealy be seen just above the grey airframe.
	Here is the development team for the GDT-1. Left to right, Troy, Glenn & David. The camera housing can be seen on the upper side of the rocket.
	Here is one side of the payload electronics. The upper end is a co-axial cable dipole antenna. On the bottom left is my home-brew microprocessor controlled "ALT3" altimeter which contains a barometric altimeter, acceleration activated launch switch, EEPROM memory, pyro switches, and serial PC interface. Above the altimer is a modem that is used to transmit telemetery from the ALT3 via the video transmitter. The white disc above the modem is a buzzer for advising status. Bottom right is a cambridge IAX-96 accelerometer/altimeter that backs up the ALT3. Above the cambridge is a 9 Volt battery for the ALT3. The black strap is a strain relief strap in case the payload snapped under the weight of the parachutes. It did, and the strap worked.
	The other side of the payload contains a 12V 1000mAh Ni-Cad battery pack and above that the ATV12-440 video transmitter.
	A close-up photograph.
	Holding the finished article.
Download MPEG Video (2341k)	View the launch from the ground
Download MPEG Video (630k)	View the in-flight video live from the rocket This video shows the first 8 seconds of flight during the boost phase.
	The payload was lost - but after we reviewed the in-flight video we were able to narrow down the landing site, which was in a Canola crop. We sent out a search party and found it after only 5 minutes.
	Here are some of the pieces.
	The electronics survived the crash. It fell 8,000 feet without parachutes.
	I decided to try my luck with a smaller rocket. The motor was a 54mm composite J with a altimeter payload.
	Motor ignition.
	Oops - another crash landing !

This page created 27th March 2000, last updated 27th May 2002.

This page has been accessed times since 27th March 2000.

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