Rocket to the moon: Vertically Landed Rocket Challenge

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s Department of Aerospace Engineering hosted the Vertically Landed Rocket Challenge at Illinois Center for Transportation on April 29. 

“The event is about bringing universities together and providing hands-on learning opportunities that are relevant to aerospace,” said Heather Arnett, Aerospace Engineering STEM coordinator.

In addition to the UIUC team, Illinois State University, Purdue University and Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville participated in this special event.

The team’s model rockets are launched using a drone that carries them up to a predetermined altitude. Once at that altitude, the rockets are released and use a small motor and gimbal system to land upright.

The best part of the challenge?

“The excitement of the students in the pursuit of landing their rocket vertically,” Arnett said. “So much valuable learning occurs not only as a team but through peer mentoring that regardless of the outcomes there is much to be celebrated.”

And at the end of the day, that is what the challenge is all about, bringing people together through learning, one rocket launch at a time.

All launches were in accordance with the National Association of Rocketry’s safety code and in compliance with the Federal Aviation Administration.