About SpaceRyde
SpaceRyde was a company aiming to revolutionize space cargo transportation and encourage innovation and economic growth in space. They developed an innovative system utilizing a stratospheric balloon to enable emission-free transportation beyond the atmosphere. Their rocket system offered multifunctionality and was designed for in-space missions such as refueling, deep space exploration, space debris removal, and de-orbiting.
Company Background
SpaceRyde was founded in 2018 by husband-wife founders Saharnaz Safari and Sohrab Haghighat. It started with a vision to eliminate barriers to innovation in space. Over time, the company grew rapidly, employing over 30 individuals and establishing a 25,000-square-foot rocket factory and advanced engine groundworks facility.
Bankruptcy and Closure
Unfortunately, SpaceRyde faced financial challenges and filed for bankruptcy. The Canadian launch company, known for its balloon-assisted rocket system, sought bankruptcy protection. Despite their ambitious goals and innovative approach, the company was unable to sustain its operations and fulfill its planned launches.
My Contributions
- Designed, assembled, integrated, and tested avionics systems for rockets, including flight computers, GNC sensors, power management, data networking, and RF communications.
- Sourced and integrated hardware for the electric propulsion system used in the gondola of the stratospheric balloon.
- Architected and commissioned the end-to-end RF system to receive rocket telemetry, ensuring compliance with the IRIG-106 standard.
- Designed, assembled, and tested PCBs using Altium Circuit Studio, incorporating STM32 MCU for interfacing with flight critical components.
- Spearheaded the development of functional and integration test procedures and campaigns to validate avionics components according to MIL-STD-810.
- Conducted conceptual design, performance simulations, and trade-off studies using Python and MATLAB.
- Produced systems requirements and derived specifications for avionics components.
- Worked closely with regulatory authorities regarding radio licensing for rocket telemetry spectrum licensing.
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