Ares — Subsystem

PCB & Flight Electronics

Rectangle 1.0 is the Ares flight computer, built around Teensy 4.1 with BNO055 IMU and DPS310 barometer. It handles sensor fusion, PD control output to TVC servos, and flight-state telemetry for post-flight analysis.

Ares Rectangle 1.0 flight computer PCB — Rectangle 1.0 assembled flight computer.

PCB Specs

Microcontroller: Teensy 4.1
IMU: BNO055 (9-DOF, sensor fusion onboard)
Barometer: DPS310
Control outputs: 2 servo channels (TVC X and Y axes)
Software: PD stabilization loop with angle and angular-rate feedback, flight state machine
Telemetry: Sensor data logged for post-flight analysis of attitude, angular velocity, and altitude

Hardware Notes

Development Lessons

Scroll left to right

Lesson 01

Axis Mapping Errors

Early launches showed the BNO055 x and z gyro axes were flipped relative to angular velocity outputs, which silently corrupted the D-term.

Lesson 02

Units Mismatch

Angular velocity values from the BNO055 library were radians per second, not degrees, so the controller effectively ignored the D-term until corrected.

Lesson 03

Hardware Beats Tuning

Gimbal slop reduced command fidelity more than software gains could fix; A3-A5 mechanical stiffness upgrades improved flight behavior the most.

Lesson 04

Recalibrate After Changes

Any board mounting or harness adjustment requires sensor calibration checks before flight to prevent drift and stage-transition errors.

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