In the GAME experiment, it has already been proven that a glider dropped from a sounding rocket can transition into stable gliding flight. We want to make progress in the mechanical strength of the glider as well as in the communication with the glider. In addition, by installing an attitude control system, we would like to achieve that the glider can transition more quickly from free fall to stable flight and head for a given target coordinate.
The main technical objective is the successful return of a self-developed experiment platform, called “micro-glider”. This
lightweight glider will be ejected from the rocket in near space
conditions. During its free fall, we want to achieve a stable flight as soon as possible with a control system. This will also increase airtime and will narrow down the possible landing coordinates. The primary focus will be to actively influence the flight path by means of an actuator system integrated into the glider and a multistage control system.
After the jettisoning of the rocket tip, at an altitude of about 70-90km, our glider should also be ejected. After a certain period of free fall, the glider will enter a spiral dive. During this phase, it will be actively controlled to return to a target coordinate – the ground station in Kiruna.
During the flight, the glider will collect data. This includes its own peripheral and flight data, as well as information from the atmosphere (temperature, air pressure, chemical composition and radiation). This data is to be used for both control and evaluation later on. The environmental data will be be made available to other researchers.
THE GLIDER
