L1 Certification Rocket

// OVERVIEW

A high-power rocket built to earn NAR Level 1 certification, designed around a custom avionics bay rather than flying stock. The airframe is built and simulated in OpenRocket for a stable, predictable flight profile, and I'm building an onboard flight computer: an ESP32 paired with a BMP390 barometric sensor for altitude and a LoRa link for live telemetry to a ground station. The project is both a certification milestone and a platform for hands-on avionics: sensor integration, embedded firmware, and real-time data downlink under flight conditions. It's a deliberate stepping stone toward Level 2 high-power certification and more capable flight electronics. Currently the airframe is prepared and the avionics bay is in active development.

// FLIGHT SIMULATION

OpenRocket simulation: predicted altitude, stability, and recovery profile.

// HIGHLIGHTS

• ›Custom avionics bay: an ESP32 flight computer with a BMP390 barometric sensor for altitude and apogee detection, downlinking live telemetry over a LoRa radio link. In progress.
• ›NAR Level 1 certification: a high-power build flown to earn L1, validating safe construction, motor handling, and recovery.
• ›Simulated flight profile: airframe modeled in OpenRocket to predict altitude, stability, and recovery before flight.
• ›Path to high-power: built as a foundation for Level 2 certification and more advanced onboard flight electronics.
• ›Status: airframe prepared; avionics bay in active development ahead of the certification launch.