Student Rockets Rock

Florida Tech Teams Earn Top Honors at the NASA 2015-2016 Hybrid Rocket Competition 

Good research comes from testing ideas. Two teams of Florida Tech students recently competed at the 2015-2016 Hybrid Motor High Powered Rocket Competition to show off the hard work put into to optimizing a pair of hybrid rockets for altitude and precision.

Sponsored by NASA’s Florida Space Grant Consortium, the competition called on students from nine Florida universities to build hybrid rockets (rockets that use propellants in two phases–one solid and the other either gas or liquid) in two categories. The first category called for launching a hybrid rocket to the maximum altitude. The second category challenged teams to fly their rocket the closest to 2,000 feet in altitude.

And, we’re happy to report: The Florida Tech teams took second place in both categories. “Our maximum altitude team achieved 3700 feet, which was actually higher than any other team,” said Hamid Hefazi, head of  Florida Tech’s Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering program and advisor for the competition. But unfortunately, a documentation error bumped to into second place. A bummer, he said, but good learning experience. The precision team secured second place by achieving 2399 feet above ground level with their rocket.

Florida Tech’s stiffest competition this year was the University of West Florida, which took first in both categories.

Check out the cool video the team put together showing both launches including some slo-mo footage that captures different stages of flight. Congratulations to Florida Tech for your awesome showing this year!