International Rocket Engineering Competition 2025

The Rocket Development Lab (RDL) plans to follow up on its participation in the 2024 Spaceport America Cup by competing in the 2025 International Rocket Engineering Competition (IREC). We are participating in the 1Ok SRAD Solids category, meaning the goal of our vehicle will be to travel to a maximum altitude of about 10,000ft AGL and be powered by a solid-propellant rocket motor developed here on campus by the team. The project will build on the previous year's lessons and gain new insights for future rocket projects. Succeeding in this competition would mean recognition for ERAU on an international stage, as well as opening up connections both in industry and between other universities. It would also demonstrate that the RDL is capable of competing in more advanced categories in future years of the IREC. To minimize our deviation from our target altitude (thereby maximizing our score at the competition), the vehicle will utilize an air braking system designed to vary the aerodynamic drag it experiences such that it reaches zero velocity at our target altitude. The system calculates an estimated apogee based on the vehicle's current speed, altitude, and drag characteristics, and then deploys airbrakes after motor burnout to bring that estimated apogee as close as possible to the target. The rocket will carry a payload consisting of several onboard cameras, as well as a transmitter. The point of this system is to develop live video downlink capability for the Rocket Development Lab, building upon the system prototyped the year prior. This year, an updated transmitter design will enable a more reliable and effective downlink. To safely recover the rocket, we will utilize a two-stage "dual-deployment" parachute recovery system. At apogee, a small drogue parachute will be deployed, bringing the rocket down in a quick but controlled manner. At about 1500ft above the ground, a large main parachute will be deployed, slowing the vehicle's descent rate to a safe speed for landing. Onboard GPS trackers will allow us to locate the rocket, along with a live flight telemetry system. Redundant avionics devices for all functions ensure a robust, reliable system.