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Request for Quotation Development of Model Rocketry Electronics Issued by: Launch Lab Education Location: South Australia, Australia RFQ reference: LLE-ELECTRONICS-001 1. Project Overview Launch Lab Education is seeking an experienced electronics designer or product-development company to develop a range of original model-rocketry electronics for flight monitoring, altitude measurement, recovery deployment, telemetry and rocket tracking. The products will be used by model, mid-power and high-power rocketry enthusiasts, university teams, schools and STEM programs. They must be reliable, straightforward to operate and suitable for commercial manufacture. We intend to develop the range progressively. The first product will be a compact dual-deployment altimeter. Suppliers should quote this product separately and provide indicative capability and pricing for the future product range. 2. Proposed Product Range The longer-term product range may include: Product Intended function Display altimeter Self-contained flight logger with LCD or similar display for altitude and event readout Dual-deployment altimeter Controls apogee/drogue and main recovery events and records flight data Apogee switch Compact single-output board with buzzer and terminal connections Flight-data logger Records altitude, velocity, acceleration and flight events Telemetry module Transmits real-time altitude, position and flight-status data GPS rocket tracker Rocket-mounted GPS and radio transmitter Ground station Portable receiver for GPS and telemetry data Advanced flight computer Multiple configurable deployment, sensor and auxiliary outputs Remote arming switch Allows safe remote arming and continuity monitoring Educational sensor payload Records flight data for school and university activities Avionics accessories Batteries, chargers, antennas, switches, wiring boards and mounting components Suppliers may recommend additional products or a different development sequence. 3. Priority Product: Dual-Deployment Altimeter The first product shall be a compact barometric altimeter capable of: * Automatically establishing launch-pad altitude. * Detecting launch, ascent, coast, apogee, descent and landing. * Activating an Apogee/Drogue recovery output at apogee. * Activating a Main recovery output at a configurable altitude during descent. * Monitoring continuity on both outputs. * Monitoring battery voltage. * Recording flight and diagnostic data. * Providing audible readiness, continuity, fault and post-flight indications. * Connecting to an external physical arming switch. * Supporting USB-C configuration, data download and firmware updates. * Operating throughout the flight without a phone, computer, internet or radio connection. Version 1 is not required to support motor ignition, airstarts or staging. Preliminary Physical and Performance Requirements Requirement Target Preferred maximum PCB size Approximately 40 mm × 20 mm Absolute maximum PCB width 20.5 mm Target mass No more than 8 g excluding battery and wiring Minimum altitude rating 18,000 m/60,000 ft MSL Pressure sampling 50 Hz preferred; 20 Hz minimum Flight storage At least 20 typical flights Primary battery One-cell LiPo preferred Wider input range Up to approximately 12 V if practical Computer interface USB-C Operating temperature target −10°C to +60°C Connections Vibration-resistant terminal blocks or locking connectors Assembly Commercial SMD assembly with through-hole parts where appropriate 4. Safety and Output Requirements The altimeter shall include two independently controlled recovery-deployment outputs. The designer shall: * Prevent unintended activation during startup, shutdown, MCU reset, brownout, USB connection and firmware updates. * Hardware-disable outputs when the controller supply is outside its reliable operating range. * Prevent outputs from firing before a valid launch has been detected. * Permit each output to activate only once during a normal flight. * Provide reverse-polarity, undervoltage and transient protection. * Provide short-circuit and overcurrent protection for each output. * Monitor output continuity using a current safely below the no-fire current of supported initiators. * Specify supported battery voltages, output current, firing duration and initiator resistance. * Record output commands, continuity, battery voltage, resets and faults. * Provide a deliberately entered ground-test mode with warnings, confirmation and a countdown. * Define a safe response to pressure-sensor, memory, supply or processor faults. The designer should assess whether both sides of each deployment load can remain isolated from the battery until the device is armed and valid flight conditions have been satisfied. 5. Flight Data and User Interface The device should record: * Raw and filtered pressure * Altitude * Vertical velocity * Temperature * Battery voltage * Continuity for both outputs * Flight state * Deployment commands * Reset and fault events Data should be downloadable in a documented CSV format. The configuration software should: * Support current Windows and macOS systems. * Preferably support Linux. * Require no account or internet connection. * Display device identity, firmware version and live sensor readings. * Display battery and continuity status. * Configure main-deployment altitude and deployment timing. * Download, graph, export and delete selected flights. * Support recoverable firmware updates. * Prevent invalid or unsafe configuration combinations. 6. Future Telemetry and Tracking Products Future products may include rocket-mounted telemetry transmitters and portable ground receivers. Potential features include: * GPS position, altitude, speed and heading. * Real-time flight-state and battery telemetry. * On-board data storage. * UART or serial communication between modules. * External antenna connection using SMA or another suitable locking RF connector. * USB-C charging and configuration. * Portable ground station with internal battery. * Support for multiple rocket transmitters. * Operation without mobile or internet coverage. * Export of GPS tracks in CSV and KML formats. Reference components include the Quectel L80-series GPS and ESP-12E/ESP-12F Wi-Fi modules. Suppliers may recommend newer, more available or more suitable alternatives. The supplier must recommend a radio frequency and architecture appropriate for use in Australia and identify relevant radio, EMC and RCM compliance requirements. Pre-certified radio modules are preferred where practical. 7. Product-Family Design Requirements Where practical, products should share: * Battery and charging arrangements * Connector and wiring conventions * USB-C interface * Device configuration software * Flight-data format * Firmware-update method * Serial-number and hardware-revision system * Programming and production-test connections * Mounting-hole arrangements * Audible and visual status conventions Boards may use SMD and through-hole components. Terminal blocks, pin headers and locking connectors should be clearly labelled for: * Battery input * Main power * 3.3 V and 5 V rails where provided * Arming switches * Recovery outputs * Sensors * UART/serial communication * GPS and radio modules * Programming and diagnostics 8. Development Scope The supplier should quote the project in the following stages: 1. Requirements, feasibility and product-family architecture. 2. Component selection and preliminary design. 3. Detailed schematic and safety review. 4. PCB layout and design-for-manufacture review. 5. Initial prototype manufacture and assembly. 6. Embedded firmware development. 7. Configuration and data-analysis software. 8. Bench testing and simulated-flight testing. 9. Revised production prototypes.