GL.iNet Sponsors University of Akron's Rocket Design Team with Flint Router
In the world of aerospace innovation, precision and cutting-edge technology are crucial. The University of Akron’s Rocket Design Team, known as the Akronauts, is at the forefront of advancing these technologies. They are not only the first team in Ohio, USA, to successfully hot-fire a liquid-fueled rocket engine, but also the first to launch one in a rocket.
Pushing Boundaries with the “Stinger” Project
The team’s latest endeavor, called “Stinger,” is a much more powerful engine than their previous projects. They plan to launch it during the upcoming school year, with expectations that the rocket will soar over 330,000 feet, making it the most powerful liquid-fueled rocket launched by a collegiate team in the country. This complex project demands both precision and the use of advanced tools to ensure success.
Communication Challenges and the Need for Remote Development
Managing such a sophisticated system requires a robust communication infrastructure, including multiple laptops used to control and monitor data from the rocket engine. To create a flexible and efficient mobile control station, the team is exploring the use of Wi-Fi around the test stand and in their control room. However, previous issues with Wi-Fi connectivity led to challenges in their setup.
Despite these hurdles, the team successfully experimented with remote programming, allowing members to contribute to the project from various locations across the country. By using Zerotier software on a single Raspberry Pi, they were able to collaborate remotely, which greatly streamlined their work. As the project evolves, the team plans to add more Raspberry Pi devices and other equipment that may not support Zerotier. This is where they identified the need for a router capable of supporting Zerotier across multiple devices to simplify control and management.
GL.iNet Sponsors Flint (GL-AX1800) Router to Empower the Team
To support the Akronauts in their quest for innovation, GL.iNet proudly sponsored the team by providing the Flint router. Designed to meet the demanding needs of projects like Stinger, the Flint router offers Gigabit Ethernet ports for fast, stable communication, Zerotier plugin support for seamless remote programming, and a wide Wi-Fi range for enhanced coverage across the team’s mobile control stations.
“The router has been working wonderfully, doing exactly what we needed it to do. It also greatly helped us troubleshoot a connection issue. We were struggling to connect to the Raspberry Pi that runs our entire test stand. By logging into the router’s web interface, we noticed only devices on our main switch were showing up, which led us to quickly diagnose that our secondary switch was broken. After replacing it, everything worked perfectly. Without the router, we likely would have spent an hour testing cables. Thank you again for providing it!”
A Look Toward the Future
As the Akronauts continue pushing the limits of liquid-fueled rocket technology with the Stinger project, GL.iNet is proud to be part of their journey. We are thrilled that the Flint router has already proven its value in overcoming technical challenges and empowering the team to focus on their mission.
Sponsorship Opportunities for University and College Students
Are you a university or college student working on an exciting project that could benefit from cutting-edge networking solutions? GL.iNet is here to help! We’re passionate about supporting academic initiatives and empowering the next generation of innovators. Whether your project is in aerospace, engineering, or any other technical field, we are eager to collaborate and provide our advanced routers to help you achieve your goals.
If you’re interested in partnering with us, we’d love to hear from you. Contact our marketing team at marketing@gl-inet.com to explore sponsorship opportunities. Together, we can help bring your project to the next level and create something extraordinary!
GL.iNet Student Discounts
As a student, you have access to exclusive, year-round savings on our Student Discount Collection. Enjoy up to 20% off regular prices, ensuring great value for your essential tech. During special promotions and major events like Black Friday or Christmas, the discount adjusts to 10%, allowing you to still benefit from fantastic deals. For full details, visit our GL.iNet Educational Offers.
About GL.iNet
GL.iNet builds network hardware and software solutions that bring affordable and secure network connectivity to families and businesses all over the world. We work with a wide range of industries, solving everyday internet problems in offices, and providing complex networking solutions such as smart buildings and IoT Networks. At GL.iNet, We believe all successful businesses build upon a strong and secure foundation, which is why our highest priority is perfecting network security and reliability for our partners.