Overview

Rice Eclipse Software for Engine Testing (or RESFET) is Rice Eclipse’s proprietary software package for hybrid rocket engine tests. It consists of 3 subsystems: RESFET (Core), RESFET Dashboard, and RESFET Analysis. Originally designed as a complete rewrite of our legacy software (MK1-1 Engine Controller), RESFET allows the Avionics team to respond rapidly to the ever-changing demands and requirements of Luna and Titan II hybrid rocket engines. RESFET is built with C++, JavaScript, and Python, and uses industry-standard frameworks. All source-code for RESFET is freely available online on our GitHub page.

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RESFET (Core)

The core module of the RESFET is designed in C++ with the standard libraries as well as our own in-house library additions. It is intended to run on our in-house engine controller module: ARCA. RESFET can process data from load cells, thermocouples, and pressure transducers as well as actuate numerous valves and perform ignition. It logs the data on its own memory and sends the real-time data to the Dashboard through UDP.

RESFET Dashboard

Dashboard is written in JavaScript using the Electron framework, and it is the control interface of the core module. It allows our technicians to observe real-time telemetry data for our launch vehicles and engine diagnostics information - such as pressure, temperature, and force - for our hybrid rocket engine tests. RESFET Dashboard is also built using the same software framework as SpaceX’s Crew Dragon crew displays!

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RESFET Analysis

Analysis is written in Python 3 and uses popular data science libraries like Pandas and NumPy. It allows our avionics team to process the gigabytes of raw engine data seamlessly.