Western Rocketry Club
SKILLS USED: Electrical System Design | Wiring & Harnessing | Avionics Integration | Troubleshooting | Team Collaboration |
Introduction
As a member of the Western Rocketry Club, I contributed to the design and implementation of the rocket’s electrical and wiring systems. My work focused on supporting avionics integration, building reliable wiring harnesses, and helping ensure the electrical subsystem performed consistently through assembly, testing, and launch preparation.
Electrical System and Wiring Integration
I worked on the rocket’s wiring and electrical integration by planning connections between avionics components and ensuring clean, reliable routing throughout the structure. This included organizing harness layouts, verifying continuity and connector integrity, and supporting safe power distribution practices to reduce the risk of intermittent faults during vibration and handling. The goal was to keep the electrical system robust and serviceable while fitting within the rocket’s space constraints.
Avionics Support and Testing
During testing and build sessions, I helped integrate avionics hardware and supported verification steps to confirm the system behaved as expected. This involved checking sensor and module connections, assisting with component mounting, and helping run basic functional checks prior to launch activities. Through repeated testing, we identified issues early and improved reliability before committing to final assembly.
Build Support and Troubleshooting
A major part of my contribution was hands-on build support and troubleshooting. I assisted with assembly tasks and worked with teammates to diagnose wiring and integration problems as they came up. This experience strengthened my ability to debug under time pressure, communicate clearly within a team, and keep the electrical subsystem aligned with mechanical constraints and flight-readiness requirements.
Conclusion
Working with the Western Rocketry Club gave me practical experience with electrical integration in a real flight hardware environment. It reinforced my skills in wiring, avionics support, and troubleshooting, while also highlighting the importance of careful documentation, testing discipline, and teamwork when building systems that need to perform reliably under demanding conditions.