July 1, 2025, Getting Started!!!

I guess all the necessary information about this repository was available on README.md but whatever, there should not be laziness just for the introduction again, so here it is. I am Rishaan Sharma, aged 14, working on the VikranSat.v0 with 4 of my friendzzz. I have been assigned the responsibility to make the Electrical Power Sub-System of the CubeSat. Yup it is a big duty, but I am up to it with all my patience and hardwork. I have made the whole EPS PCB Schematic 3 times in the past, and yes, It's me building it again for the fourth time due to some technical glitches. I will Keep you updated each time I do something. That's all for today, we'll meet again very soon!!!

Time Invested: 0 Hours

July 3, 2025, Day-2!

Yoo, what's goin' on?, not that uch progress today, most of the time invested in learning, how to use Kikad?, but I did choose some components, take a look at them:-

Time Invested: ~1.5 Hours

July 4, 2025, Day-3!

Yuppp, I'm up again! Everything going kinda chaotic here, just because of tight schedule, only a bit work done today. Just take a look at it:-

Time Invested: ~0.75 Hours

July 5, 2025, Day-4!

Yeah, it's the day-4 and still a bit work done. But as compared to previous days, it's more ig. Here, take a look:-

Time Invested: ~0.75 Hours

July 11, 2025, Day-5!

Huhhh, that was a week full of tiring examinations. By the way, did a little work today. Here, see it:-

Time Invested: ~1.25 Hours

July 12, 2025, Day-6!

Yooo, I completed the battery chargers today!!!. It was very tiring. See this:-

Time Invested: 3 Hours

July 13, 2025, Day-7!

Yeahhhh!, I'm back with something interesting. I finalised the 3.3V buck converter for the load. Also did some meeting kinda stuff with the project head and we finalised to have RP2350A as the power management IC. Negligible work done on the schematic today. Nevermind, just take a look:-

Time Invested: 2 Hours

July 14, 2025, Day-8!

What's up, I'm back with something interesting. Well, it was a very chaotic day for me and I could only invest a bit time for this. that's the completion ofthe 3.3V Buck Converter. It was quite interesting and easy. Take this:-

Time Invested: 0.75 Hours

July 15, 2025, Day-9!

Yoooo!!! Today I kinda wasted my time just to add this RP2350A PMIC to my schematic, cause I'm just 14 and struggling to find my way in this electrc world. Whatever, just see this:-

Time Invested: ~1.5 Hours

July 17, 2025, Day-10!

Hello there!!! I'm back with the start to add the Type-C port on the PCB and kinda wasted the time to know how to do it, yet no efficient outcome. well see it:-

Time Invested: ~1.5 Hours

July 19, 2025, Day-11!

Yeah, It's me again!!! Today I made the Battery Protection unit. Well that's just a BMS kinda IC, but I like exagerrating names, so yeah, see this:-

Time Invested: ~0.5 Hours

July 20, 2025, Day-12!

How're you all!!! I am here today with the completion of the C-Type Receptacle on the schematic. Well, we haven't figured out anything about the PMIC(RP2350A), as we have to change it because of it's power consumption. Well, here's the schematic of the day:-

Time Invested: ~0.5 Hours

July 23, 2025, Day-13!

I'm back with only a bit things done today. Well I was guided to add LICENSE and README.md in this repository. I also had a meeting with my teammates to figure out if there was something wrong with the power board, and fortunately, there wasn't any flaw, just the values of some components were not fixed as I was not able to figure them out, but hopefully I guess they will be fixed after a few tutorials. Well, I also did very minor changes to the C-Type receptacle today. There's nothing to see in it, but just see it:-

Time Invested: ~1.75 Hours

July 24, 2025, Day-13!

I'm back today with a good news that I found a very nice Power Management IC which is STPMIC1A, for the EPS. I also did all the connections of the current sensors. The schematic looks like a monster now, take a look:-

Time Invested: ~2.25 Hours

July 26, 2025, Day-14!

Hello again!!! I am back with something really exciting. I did the connections of PMIC and the configuration has been changed from 4P1S*2 to 8P1S! A few ICs have also been reduced such as one battery charging IC with its protectin unit. It was a drastic change and a lot of effor for me today, but here's the outcome:-

Time Invested: ~2 Hours

July 27, 2025, Day-15!

Yeahhh!!! I kinda selected the 5V boost converter for the Magnetorqueours. You might be wondering why I am having a separate boost converter for the Magnetorqueours, that's because of low current and high voltage output from the PMIC which could only be tolerated by other 5V load except the Magnetorqueours. I have built it partially, I'll do it properly tomorrow, so here's the converter/regulator:-

Time Invested: ~0.75Hours

July 28, 2025, Day-16!

Helloooo again!!! negligible work done today. I just read some articles about the basics of Li-Ion battery chargers to select another battery charger, cause I am not able to understand, interpret and implement the values of a few components exactly for the specific application of ours, and I don't wanna take even a bit of risk. Well no image for today.

Time Invested: ~0.5Hours

July 29, 2025, Day-17!

OMG!!! Finally!!! I completed the schematic for the EPS, just footprints of some components are left to be added. See this thing:-

Time Invested: ~3.75Hours

July 30, 2025, Day-18!

Yooo!!! I am finally gonna finish the schematic! Just a few values of components is left. I also added the bus. Take a look:-

Time Invested: ~3.25Hours

July 31, 2025, Day-19!

It is a very hard and rigid work for me to build the EPS of VikramSATv0. I worked many hours for the completion of this project under the given time for the submission of Undercity, but I failed to do so. I am very dissapointed to say that I was not able to complete the EPS and now it is 31st of July (Last date for the submission of project).Heyyy, why is this becoming sad? Don't you know that another program is gonna come? Here are the images of the work done today:-

Time Invested: ~5.5Hours

August 1, 2025, Day-20!

Hello!!! What did you think? That I would leave journaling? I'm not that kind of guy dude! I never give up! Well, I mentioned about a program yesterday. And that's gonna be #grounded. I came to know that projects made on KiCAD are eligible for the participation in #grounded, so I'll continue journaling till I finish the EPS of VikramSATv0 and gonna submit it for the PCBA grant. Here is the image for the work done today:-

Time Invested: ~2.75Hours

August 3, 2025, Day-21!

Yooo!!! I segregated and position all the units of the EPS, but joining them with traces is left. Here's the PCB till now:-

Time Invested: ~3 Hours

August 5, 2025, Day-22!

Yeahhh!!! just did the creation of my project in Groundplane. You might be wondering why it consumed so much time? Well, that's because of the irritating error popping up on my screen after I clicked on the button for the submission of the project. The screenshot was also not being uploaded properly. After a few restarts, it miraclously worked and got submitted. I also hit the exit button on my browser before hitting the commit changes button, so yeah I typed this all for today again, I also changed the theme of my schematic editor to 'The Vampire Theme', pretty cool huh? Well see it yourself (and yeah the dashboard of Groundplane too!):-

Time Invested: ~1.5 Hours

August 7, 2025, Day-23!

Huhhh! I saw a tutorial, did some more traces and yeah, that's all I did today except changing the PCB editor's theme (It looks so cool!). Take a look at the progress:-

Time Invested: ~1 Hours

August 9, 2025, Day-24!

Okayyy, It's just like I did a bit routing today, but found some repeated routings which was done at 90° by me. The main thing is that I am not able to delete it!!! It may be because of some kinda glitch or something. You know what it means. Restart!!! Huhhh:-

Time Invested: ~1.25 Hours

August 10, 2025, Day-25!

Nahhh!!! I can't find any way to delete a single trace individually. I saw tutorials too, but no outcome. Now I'm gonna leave a complaint or issue kinda thing on GitLab. No image for today, Sorry guysss!!!

Time Invested: ~0.25 Hours

August 12, 2025, Day-26!

Still not able to fix the problem!!! I also was not able to get any help from GitLab. I also tried to reinstall KiCad. But, that also wasn't helpful. Well I tried to do a little bit of logo editing today. Look at it:-

Time Invested: ~1.75 Hours

August 14, 2025, Day-27!

Yeahhh!!! Problem solved! I got the answer from KiCad Forum. The issue was that I didn't allow the selections of tracks from the bottom right corner. I did a few connections, but the connection of Battery Charging Unit was completely a mess!!! See it:-

Time Invested: ~1.75 Hours

August 15, 2025, Day-28!

Happy Independence Day!!! So, today is India's Independence day. The atmosphere is filled with nationalism all around. Today I did most of the traces. Only a few remaining. Take a look at the PCB:-

Time Invested: ~1.5 Hours

August 16, 2025, Day-29!

Yeah!!! Most of the traces are done, only Grounds and a few traces (Which I was not able to route) are left. I'll do them later. Take a look at this bad boyyy:-

Time Invested: -1 Hours

August 18, 2025, Day-30!

Sooo!!! all the rest of traces done except the Common ground. The board looks nice now. I kinda love my hardwork (who doesn't?) Take a look at the PCB:-

Time Invested: ~0.75 Hours

August 21, 2025, Day-31!

Yooo!!! I added a GND plane in my project today and also researched a lot about the battery connectors which I was not able to finalise, so I'll do that later:-

Time Invested: ~1 Hours

August 23, 2025, Day-32!

Yeah!!! A few more 'Grounds' done! I was not able to connect the components and also don't know that are they being connected or ot just by adding a 'through via'. I also researched about the connectors a bit, but I wasn't able to find the footprint, so I left that work for another time. And yeah, that's it for today, but don't forget to see 'The Progress':-

Time Invested: ~1 Hours

August 25, 2025, Day-33!

Sameeee!!! today also the same thing! I can now only see GNDs all around me, cause I'm kinda 'grounded', yeah, and that's what I am working for. Now, only a few ratlines remain. So here's today's image:-

Time Invested: ~1 Hours

August 25, 2025, Day-33!

I did more connections today!!! Now only 10-15 ratlines are left to be 'traced'. I'm very excited to do this last thing!!! Well take a look at the progress:-

Time Invested: ~0.75 Hours

August 25, 2025, Day-33!

Yoooo!!! Only 3 ratlines left!!! I am not able to connect these pins. It's kinda >95% IMPOSSIBLE. But, I'll do it. You just see this:-

Time Invested: ~1.25 Hours

September 1, 2025, Day-34!

Yayyy!!! All the traces done! but there are many DRC errors (Sad Emoji* 3)! I'll do it (maybe I'll be able to do it). So see the 3D thing now. It looks cool, but the borders are also a bit deformed. Huhhh, I'll fix that too:-

Time Invested: ~1 Hours

September 5, 2025, Day-35!

There's a bad newzzz!!! I tried to fix the borders, but I came to know the the borders which I drew earlier were longer!!! Now I have to review a few connections again to ensure that they fit in the PCB! Here's the image, you can review the progress:-

Time Invested: ~0.75 Hours

September 7, 2025, Day-36!

Uhmmm!!! I don't think that I would like to write anything, cause the image would tell it all!! (Sad Emoji*3). 181 errors, seriously?:-

Time Invested: ~0.75 Hours

September 9, 2025, Day-37!

Seriouslyyy!!! Can you just see what that is? IG Digikey or mouser gave me wrong footprints! How to FIX it!!!!!:-

Time Invested: ~1 Hours

September 13, 2025, Day-38!

Yeah, there's progress. I fixed that 'pad problem', but IDK how the border got deleted!!! Huhhh!:-

Time Invested: ~2 Hours

September 15, 2025, Day-39!

Just a few 'Warnings' corrected today. Nothin' much:-

Time Invested: ~1.5 Hours

September 16, 2025, Day-40!

Ohhh! Silly me!, the borders weren't deleted, they were just hidden. I am gonna ignore the errors of the FETs, cause the pads intersect, but I saw the datasheet, and found that they are intentionally sorted. So IG the PCB will be completed in 2 or 3 days. Take a look at the 3D view. It's kinda WOW, did I really made it?:-

Time Invested: ~1.15 Hours

September 17, 2025, Day-41!

I, I did it!!!!!! I made the PCB! It's so cool that I made my first PCB! Here, see the final view, well the 3D model for many aren't there.:-

Time Invested: ~1.75 Hours

September 18, 2025, Day-42!

I did a few formalities for the grant in my repo today. Well, there is more to do. I also talked with my teammates regarding this and did the file work which were just lying in my Laptop.

Time Invested: ~2.15 Hours

September 19, 2025, Day-43!

Nothing much today, just a bit of thickening of traces!

Time Invested: ~0.75 Hours

September 20, 2025, Day-44!

This is it! Success! It is the first time I felt like I did something big. I submitted the EPS!!!:-

Time Invested: ~3.15 Hours

September 21, 2025, Day-44!

Actually!!! I submitted the wrong ss of the cart which showed total $33.77, but now when I added LCSC too, it has rose too $50+ as you might see in the README.md. I have mailed Zach Latta Sir for a change in the registration information!:-

Time Invested: ~3.5 Hours

Total Days Spent = 44
Total Hours Spent = 81.5