<i>Asfaloth</i> : Sounding Rocket for Transonic Aerodynamics Research and Indigenous Space Development

Renewed global interests in high-speed flight have created a need for experimental platforms to probe the transonic to hypersonic regimes. Simultaneously, Taiwan’s New Space initiatives created a strong demand for rocket engineering talent. This paper introduces Asfaloth, a 6.21 m tall, 261 kg academic sounding rocket developed to address both needs. Asfaloth was designed to exceed Mach 1.2 and an apogee of 9000 m, powered by a polypropylene-[Formula: see text] hybrid engine that delivers [Formula: see text] in thrust and [Formula: see text] of total impulse. The engine is shared with HTTP-3A, a different indigenous rocket targeting the Kármán Line, using a common core approach to accelerate propulsion maturation. Onboard, Asfaloth was designed to support ocean recovery, in-flight data downlink, and advanced payloads such as event-based imaging diagnostic experiments. A successful subscale launch with [Formula: see text] total impulse has been demonstrated, operating from Taiwan’s new Xuhai Short-Term Scientific Research Sounding Rocket Launch Site. In spite of telemetry loss, video analysis of the flight showed reliable departure from the launch rail. Summarily, by integrating a high-speed flight-inspired motivator with academic training, Asfaloth represents a notable milestone in Taiwan’s New Space initiatives and provides a versatile platform for future flight experiments.