A group of students from the University of Southern California’s Rocket Propulsion Lab has achieved a remarkable feat, launching a homemade rocket that broke multiple records for altitude, power, and speed. The rocket, named Aftershock II, reached an altitude of over 470,000 feet, surpassing the previous record by more than 90,000 feet.
The team designed and built the rocket using new advancements in thermal protection, which enabled it to withstand hypersonic speeds. The rocket broke the sound barrier just two seconds after liftoff and reached its maximum speed at around Mach 5.5, five times the speed of sound.
This achievement marks a significant milestone for student-led space exploration, with Aftershock II becoming only the second student rocket to reach the Kármán line, the boundary between space and Earth’s atmosphere.
“We achieved several engineering firsts,” said Ryan Kraemer, executive engineer of the RPL team. “Aftershock II is distinguished by the most powerful solid-propellant motor ever fired by students and the most powerful composite case motor made by amateurs.”
The record-breaking launch is a testament to the excellence developed in emerging astronautical engineers at USC. The team’s achievement will undoubtedly inspire future generations of space enthusiasts and researchers.
Source: https://www.livescience.com/space/space-exploration/students-homemade-rocket-soars-faster-and-farther-into-space-than-any-other-amateur-spacecraft-smashing-20-year-records