Members of the Lehigh University Rocketry Association (LURA) presented at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Young Professionals, Students, and Educators (YSPE) Conference, held November 22, 2024, at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory.
LURA, which was officially recognized by the university in Fall 2024 and currently has 50 active members, provides opportunities for rocketry enthusiasts to design, build, and launch high-powered rockets. The group welcomes students from all academic backgrounds to help pursue a range of research areas to gain a better understanding of rocket science and to achieve the goal of competing with other universities in high-powered rocketry competitions on the national level. So far, LURA, which is advised by Terry Hart, a full teaching professor of mechanical engineering and mechanics and a former NASA astronaut, has launched two rockets, one reaching 1600 feet.
At the AIAA conference, team members TJ Moore ’24, a graduate student in mechanical engineering, and undergraduates Lorcan Cheng ’28, Keegan Gagnon ’26, and Dontae Hoose ’26 delivered a technical presentation on LURA’s liquid bipropellant rocket.
“We covered key aspects of our project, including aerodynamic design, propulsion systems, fuel/oxidizer selection, safety factors, and supersonic flow dynamics,” says Gagnon.
This project is designed to closely align with aerospace industry practices and prepare the team for national competition. The rocket uses liquid fuel and oxidizer to achieve precise thrust control and high efficiency, says Gagnon. To streamline the effort, specialized teams are focusing on key components such as the propellant tank, thrust chamber, fluid systems, and airframe.
“Through this collaborative effort, we successfully completed the manufacturing process of the rocket this semester,” he says. “Looking ahead, we plan to conduct a static fire test early next semester in collaboration with the Cornell Liquid Rocket Team in New York. This milestone will mark a major step forward in our journey toward advancing liquid propulsion and Lehigh rocketry.”
This semester, LURA has been focusing on smaller high-powered rockets, where each member designs and builds their own rocket to pursue Level 1 High-Powered Rocketry Certification through the National Association of Rocketry. This initiative, alongside the group’s liquid rocket project, ensures that all members gain hands-on experience, understand the fundamentals of rocketry, and learn about safety protocols while earning a valuable national certification. LURA also gained valuable insights during a meeting with members of the Case Rocket Team from Case Western Reserve University, who provided guidance on approaching this project in the most efficient and cost-effective way possible.
