Last fall, members of Union’s Rocket Club gathered to begin work on building a rocket from scratch.

Working primarily in the 3D print lab and the make lab, students needed to construct a rocket that could reach a maximum altitude between 700 and 1,200 feet, descend on a parachute at no more than 15 feet per second and use a built-in camera to record the rocket descent. They also needed to use an electronic payload to stream and graph velocity, rotation rate, acceleration, altitude, pressure and temperature data in real time.

The goal was to have Charger, the club’s nearly four-foot-tall rocket, ready in time for the Battle of the Rockets, a national collegiate and high school competition featuring three separate events in Culpeper, Va. earlier this month. After several test launches throughout the winter and spring terms, it was all systems go for Charger.

After the first day of competition under optimal weather conditions, the team completed two successful flights, and by noon the following day, they had completed a final qualifying flight.

When it was over, the team’s total score propelled them to a first-place finish in the “Deployable Payload Event,” a remarkable achievement for a group that has been together less than a year.

“I am incredibly proud of our team and what we were able to accomplish,” said the team’s captain, Eduardo Castro ’27, a double major in mechanical engineering and astronomy from Marlborough, Mass. “This would not have been possible without the consistent effort, care and true passion shown by each member of the team.”

Formed in 2018, the Rocket Club brings together students across majors to experience the thrill of rocketry—from 3D modeling and payload design to hands-on building, fabrication and launching. There are 15 members in the club, with a dozen comprising the team that competed in Virginia.

The club meets once a week and participates in hobby launches, while the team meets twice a week and is involved in a larger scale build and travels to competitions.

“The club, and the team within, allow students to learn more about science and engineering in a fun and exciting way,” said the club’s vice president, Abbey Ramsey ‘27, a mechanical engineering major from Hubbardston, Mass. “It also allows ample opportunity for students to engage in leadership roles, practice team organization, and hone administrative skills.”

The club also works with local children's organizations to expose young learners to fun and engaging STEM activities.

Scott Suriano, lecturer of physics and astronomy, is in his first year as faculty adviser to the club. Ashok Ramasubramanian, professor of mechanical engineering, dean of engineering and co-director of the Templeton Institute, has also been instrumental in helping the team achieve lift off.

“l was thoroughly impressed by the students' initiative and ingenuity throughout the year,” said Suriano. “The students took the lead on the design, construction and testing of the rocket, and their hard work paid off in the end. I'm excited to see what they can accomplish next year.”

With no competitions for the rest of the academic year, Charger now sits in storage. Meanwhile, the club will focus on the hobby side of things for the duration of the spring term. They plan a launch before the end of the term to attract new members.

“It amazes me to think that just over a year ago, the rocket team was only an idea, an optimistic dream for what our club may do in a possibly distant future,” said Castro. “Now, thanks to our team, and especially thanks to professors Suriano and Ramasubramanian, the rocket team stands as a real and accomplished competition team at Union.”