CanSatNeXT library

CanSat NeXT is an ESP32 development board developed for CanSat competitions in collaboration with ESERO Finland. This library provides easy access to the hardware resources of the development board. The hardware resources include a barometer, an inertial measurement unit, an SD card and a point-to-point communication radio. The library supports both the satellite and the receiver. The receiver can be similar to the CanSat NeXT board but also any other ESP32 development board.

Getting started

This is an Arduino library, designed to be primarily used through the Arduino IDE. Here are the basic steps to get started with the library:

1. Install the Arduino IDE: Download and install the Arduino IDE from the official website if you haven't already.

2. Install ESP32 Support:

   • Open the Arduino IDE.
   • Navigate to Tools -> Board -> Boards Manager.
   • In the search bar, type "ESP32" and find the option provided by Espressif.
   • Click on the "Install" button to add ESP32 support to your Arduino IDE.

3. Install the CanSatNeXT Library:

   • In the Arduino IDE, go to Sketch -> Include Library -> Manage Libraries.
   • In the search bar, type "CanSatNeXT" and find the corresponding library.
   • Click on the "Install" button to install the library. If the Arduino IDE asks if you want to install with dependencies - click yes.
   • Alternatively, you can manually add the library by downloading this repository and saving it into the Arduino libraries folder on your computer.

4. Connect the CanSatNeXT Board:

   • Select the board type in the Arduino IDE from Tools -> Board -> esp32 and select ESP32 Dev Module
   • Plug the CanSatNeXT board into your PC using a USB cable.
   • Your PC should automatically detect the board, but if it doesn't, you may need to install the necessary drivers.
   • Drivers can be found on the Silicon Labs website: https://www.silabs.com/developers/usb-to-uart-bridge-vcp-drivers
   • The driver can be downloaded on the Silicon Labs website from Downloads -> CP210x VCP Windows (Mac and Linux don't need a specific driver with this chip)
   • For additional help with setting up the ESP32, refer to the following tutorial: https://docs.espressif.com/projects/esp-idf/en/latest/esp32/get-started/establish-serial-connection.html

5. Get Started with the CanSatNeXT Board:

   • Once you have installed the Arduino IDE, ESP32 support, and the CanSatNeXT library (and possibly the drivers), you are ready to start using the board.
   • To explore the use of the various hardware resources, go to File -> Examples -> CanSatNeXT in the Arduino IDE.

Pinout

Here is the full list of pins used by CanSat NeXT board. The internal use refers to the pin being used for the on-board resources, and extension refers to the pins having been routed to the extension interface. Some pins, those for I2C and SPI, are used both internally and externally. The library name refers to a macro name, which can be used instead of the pin number when CanSatNeXT library has been included.

Pin Number	Library name	Note	Internal/External
0	BOOT		Used internally
1	USB_UART_TX	Used for USB	Used internally
3	USB_UART_RX	Used for USB	Used internally
4	SD_CS	SD card chip select	Used internally
5	LED	Can be used to blink on-board LED	Used internally
12	GPIO12		Extension interface
13	MEAS_EN	Drive high to enable LDR and thermistor	Used internally
14	GPIO14	Can be used to read if SD-card is in place	Used internally
15	GPIO15		Extension interface
16	GPIO16	UART2 RX	Extension interface
17	GPIO17	UART2 TX	Extension interface
18	SPI_CLK	Used by the SD-card, also available externally	Both
19	SPI_MISO	Used by the SD-card, also available externally	Both
21	I2C_SDA	Used by the on-board sensors, also available externally	Both
22	I2C_SCL	Used by the on-board sensors, also available externally	Both
23	SPI_MOSI	Used by the SD-card, also available externally	Both
25	GPIO25		Extension interface
26	GPIO26		Extension interface
27	GPIO27		Extension interface
32	GPIO32	ADC	Extension interface
33	GPIO33	ADC	Extension interface
34	LDR	ADC for the on-board LDR	Used internally
35	NTC	ADC for the thermistor	Used internally
36	VDD	ADC used to monitor supply voltage	Used internally
39	BATT	ADC used to monitor battery voltage	Used internally

The picture below shows the pins for using the extension header for adding external electronics to the board.

License

This library and the CanSat NeXT board are developed by Samuli Nyman, in collaboration with ESERO Finland and Arctic Astronautics Oy. The development is also supported by the Finnish Physical Society. This software library is licensed under the MIT license.

Contribution

If you wish to contribute to the library or if you have feedback, please contact me through samuli@kitsat.fi or start a GitHub issue. You are also welcome to create a pull request.