The University of Southern California’s (USC) student-run rocket propulsion lab has achieved a historic milestone in amateur rocketry. Aftershock II, designed and built by the USCRPL at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering, broke the international altitude record by 90,000 feet, surpassing the previous 20-year-old record held by Civilian Space Exploration Team.
The achievement marks several engineering firsts for the team, including the most powerful solid-propellant motor ever fired by students and the most powerful composite case motor made by amateurs. Aftershock II reached a velocity of 5,283 ft/s and Mach 5.5 during its successful launch on October 20 in the Black Rock Desert rocket launch area, Nevada.
The team’s innovative design and technological advancements enabled the rocket to withstand hypersonic speeds, thanks to a thermal protection system that included new paint and titanium-coated fins. The custom-designed computer systems and circuit boards were also built from scratch by the student team, allowing for live integration of data during flight.
“This achievement represents several engineering firsts,” said Ryan Kraemer, executive engineer of USCRPL. “The protective paint system performed perfectly, enabling the rocket to return largely intact. We also made an important upgrade to the fins, replacing bare carbon edges with titanium leading edges.”
USC President Dean Yannis Yortsos praised the team’s achievement, saying, “This extraordinary group of students shows how to imagine, what can be done in the lab, and how to make it a reality.” The USCRPL has been striving to beat its own record since launching the first collegiate-designed and built rocket to pass the Kármán line in 2019.
The team’s success is seen as a testament to the excellence of USC’s emerging astronautical engineers, who go on to achieve top roles in the space industry and government positions. The USCRPL has a history of innovation and entrepreneurship, having launched several startups including Relativity Space and Ursa Major.
Source: https://viterbischool.usc.edu/news/2024/11/usc-student-rocket-group-shatters-international-amateur-space-record