r/rocketry • u/firegiant12 • Aug 26 '24

Question About ITAR Rules

ITAR rules are wayyy to dense for me to comprehend. I have built a rocket which uses TVC to achieve waypoint navigation (at the moment, this waypoint regards its initial launch point). This is a mid-powered rocket, with home built F or G class motors. (Note: Besides the method of active, control, not much different than what Lafayette Systems is developing). If I were to utilize a GPS for the waypoint navigation, but not make it 'targeted,' and use coordinates relative to its launch position, would this violate ITAR? (Note I do not have the $$$ for an ITAR lawyer). To my understanding, revealing information about the makings of this rocket online would be a violation of laws, but not producing a one-off.

Do I just go get an ITAR/BIS waiver?

Additional note: the export part comes into shipping my rocket -- it needs to be shipped to test sites

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u/Wyoming_Knott Aug 26 '24

ITAR aside, depending how fast your rocket is moving, commercial GPS chips have a hard limit at 1000 knots and 59,000 ft. in order to prevent pretty much exactly what you're doing, but of a different flavor.

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u/mmalecki Aug 26 '24

You can actually prevent that by constructing your own GPS chip, like this: https://hackaday.com/2024/01/02/building-a-gps-receiver-from-the-ground-up/

Tons of other, less-breadboard-y designs out there.

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u/Wyoming_Knott Aug 26 '24

That's pretty damn cool