Overview
The Upper Hull rack supports the electronics enclosed in the Upper Hull, including all power and serial infrastructure as well as the forward facing camera, 3DMG-X1 and TCM-5 compass.
Cantilevered rack structure
The rack is cantilevered off of the rear endcap so that the hull can be removed without cutting power to any of the onboard electronics. The rack also provides a surface for the hull collars to rest on as they slide on to seal the hull.
Board distribution in the Upper Hull Rack
The Nova rack is divided into sections, with the noisiest, hottest components the closest to the rear endcap and the most sensitive, quiet components nearest to the front of the hull. This alleviates some of the sensor noise issues encountered in previous years.
The aft section contains the Aft Power board, the Thruster board, and the onboard Computer. The mid section contains the Sensor Power board, the Serial Board and the control board. The front section contains the TCM-5 compass, the forward facing camera, and the 3DMG-X1. The rack has enough room to take several other boards and sensors as needed as vehicle development and deployment continues.
Side Panels
Side panels are attached to the bulkheads, one per side of a board slot. These side panels are lasercut acrylic, and provide labeling for various ports. On Triton, the side panels were a hassle because it was necessary to unplug all boards on a side to remove only one board. This design allows one board to be removed at a time without disturbing any of the rest of the stack.
