Photo: Mark Canepa

PacketSponsorship

RocketTeam

1page

The Team

As a club recognized by the MIT Association of Student Activities and the MIT Edgerton Center, the Rocket Team is currently com-posed of 32 MIT undergraduate students, 4 graduate students, 3 MIT alumni, and a faculty advisor. Membership is open to all members of the MIT community, and new members are always welcome at our meetings.

The MIT Rocket Team is a well-established, independent student group focused on cutting-edge engineering on rocket-related projects and educa-tional outreach. In its 15-year history, the team has taken on projects rang-ing from designing, building, and testing a custom centrifugal liquid engine; to developing a collapsible, rocket-deployed UAV; to now develop-ing a bipropellant liquid engine with an aerospike nozzle. Furthermore, the team provides all its members with the tools and knowledge to earn high-power rocketry (HPR) certifications through the National Associa-tion of Rocketry (NAR).

2page

OutreachOne of the driving missions of the MIT Rocket Team is to educate and

foster interest in science, engineering, and spaceflight. To accomplish that goal, the team participates in numerous outreach events both within the MIT community and at museums in the Boston area.

Each year, rocket team members participate in the Splash and Spark programs hosted by the MIT Educational Studies Program. For one weekend during each semester, middle- and high-school students come to MIT to take classes hosted by MIT students and student groups. The Rocket Team hosts several hands-on classes aimed at teaching a number of topics, including the basics of composite materials and the fundamental concepts of rocketry.

The MIT Rocket Team has also had many opportunities to engage younger students in activities. The MIT Rocket

Team makes visits to both the Boston Museum of Science and the MIT Museum, where members lead students in conducting hands on experiments and activities ranging

from building small alka-seltzer rockets and egg drop struc-tures to carbon fiber layup demonstrations.

3page

NAR Certi cation

The MIT Rocket Team encourages all of its members to be familiar with the basics of rocket design and theory and to apply them through building their own rockets for NAR certification.

The first several weeks of the school year are devoted to educating new team members about the fundamentals of rocketry through lessons conducted by senior team members paired with hands-on build-ing sessions of smaller rockets driven by lower-power motors (C-G impulse class). Once the fundamentals are understood, members are encouraged fabricate and launch a rocket with an H-class motor to obtain their NAR High Power Level 1 Certification.

Lesson topics include:• Fundamentals of rocketry and simulation using OpenRocket software• CAD with SolidWorks• Composite tube manufacturing• Waterjet and machine shop training• Intro to avionics• Launch operations, safety, motor assembly, and recovery

When team members complete their Level 1 Certification, we continue to support them by providing the mate-rials and the transportation to launch their Level 2 and Level 3 rockets.

4page

NASA USLIAwards {2010-2011}

» Placed 2nd overall in the competition com-posed of 30 teams

» Institute of Technology received the Project Review Award by delivering the best combina-tion of written Preliminary Design, Critical Design and Flight Readiness Reviews and formal presentations.”

» Rookie Award: “Massachusetts Institute of Technology took home its second award of 2011 by demonstrating the highest degree of success among new teams.”

USLI Website

/descriptions/University_Student_Launch_Initiative.html

Project Review Award: “�e Massachusetts

For the past three years, we have entered NASA’s University Student Launch Initiative (USLI) Competition. USLI challenges university-level students to design, build and launch a reuseable rocket carrying a scientific payload to one mile in altitude.

In the 2010-2011 USLI, we built a rocket housing a custom-built deployable UAV. The UAV contained numerous sensors to gather atmospheric data and monitor its flight path. In 2011-2012, we used high-speed cameras mounted on our rocket to study the way its fins fluttered during flight. In 2012-2013, we designed, built and launched a rocket-deployed quadrotor. The quadrotor used a custom-built folding airframe which allowed it to be packed into a rocket. Radio control, video, and telemetry links enabled an operator on the ground to fly the quadrotor.

5page

Vehicle designFurther engine testingPayload development & prototype

Vehicle fab.Payload fab.

Vehicle test flightPayload testing

IREC

Inital design

Prototype fab.Cold flow test

Revise designPayload conceptComponent fab.Component testing

AssemblyTestingStatic Firing

Fall

Winter

Spring

Summer

2013-2014 2014-2015

For the 2013-2014 season, the MIT Rocket Team will design, build, and test a liquid bi-propellant rocket engine with an aerospike nozzle (the Pyralis engine). The design and construction of a liquid engine requires rigorous engineering work and problem-solv-ing, thus providing better educational opportunities for the Team. Incorporating an aerospike nozzle into our engine will allow Rocket Team to contribute to the aerospace community as we expand our knowledge of working with aerospikes.

We plan to conduct a cold flow test by the end of the fall semester and to culminate this academic year with a successful static firing of the engine.

Next year, we will continue engine testing in preparation to fly the engine in a rocket vehicle at the Intercollegiate Rocket Engineering Competition (IREC) hosted by the Experimental Sounding Rocket Association in late June 2015. We will attempt to use the Pyralis engine to deliver a 10 pound (4.5 kilogram) payload to 10 000 feet (3 050 meters) above ground level.

PyralisUpcoming:

Budget

+ Materials + Motors+ Electronics+ Recovery+ TravelSubtotal:

$1,300$1,000

$300$400$500

$3,500

$500$200

$1,500$500$500

$1,000$4,200

+ Sensors + Optical+ Engine Fabrication+ Test Stand+ Electronics+ Plumbing & TanksSubtotal:

Pyralis Engine Development

+ Materials + Motors+ Electronics+ Recovery+ TravelSubtotal:

$1,000$1,000

$500$400$500

$3,400

6page

Sponsorship

Total: $11,100

BRONZE: Under $1,000Logo and promotion on team website

SILVER: $2,500Logo on all posters, documents, and presenta-tions produced and on websiteReceive regular project status updatesUse of team photographs and videos

GOLD: $5,000Logo on all rockets flown by Rocket Team, team apparel, and websiteAccess to team resume book

PLATINUM: $10,000Logo prominent on all rockets flown by Rocket Team, team apparel, and websitePromotion during all public appearances (i.e. outreach events, interviews, etc.)Availability of team members for recruiting and to give presentations

Sponsorship Levels

The MIT Rocket Team’s continued success is made possible by the assistance of forward-looking individuals and organizations. With your support, we hope to further our mission and continue to develop future aerospace leaders.

Levels of sponsorship include all benefits of lower levels. All donations are tax decutible. The Team’s funds are managed through the MIT Edgerton Center.

Contact Information:

President: Matthew Vernacchia mvernacc@mit.edu 412.722.3529Vice-President: James Logan jdlogan@mit.edu 617.599.7072Treasurer: Connie Liu cyliu@mit.edu 720.808.4808