Our Crowdfunding Groups
Hello Cyclone Rocketry Supporters!
The club would like to update you all on our launch of Ortu Solis! Last November, Rising Sun took flight over the fields of North Branch, Minnesota. The launch team consisted of 8 students, limited due to COVID restrictions. The team got out on the field early in the morning and was ready to launch around 10 am. The flight went well, lifting off and reaching apogee as expected!
However, upon main parachute deployment, there was an issue with line tangling. This kept the parachute from deploying as expected, causing an increased descent rate from what was planned. This caused the rocket to hit the ground a little harder than we wanted, resulting in cracks in our nosecone and forward coupler. However, all other subsystems performed nominally and we are very happy with the flight!
We are now gearing up to launch our new rocket, Renegade. This is a 13' 1" tall rocket, 6 inches in diameter. It will be flying to 10,000 feet above ground level. Unfortunately, we won't be going to Las Cruces, New Mexico for the Spaceport America Cup due to the in-person launch being canceled again due to COVID. However, we will be launching at a brand new Iowa launch site with ISOAR, something we are very excited to be a part of! Renegade will be taking flight on April 18th, 2021 in Fort Dodge, Iowa. We will be flying a brand new recovery system, a new concept called a "replaceable fin can", as well as a redesigned airbrake system and payload. It's shaping up to be our best rocket yet, and with a new launch field, spectators are encouraged! This means that if you wish to view Renegade take to the skies, you can be there and feel the power of Cyclone Rocketry!
We are in the middle of our next fundraising campaign where we will be posting the location of the field as we near launch day, and we would love your continued support! You can check out our 2021 FundISU project here: https://fundisu.foundation.iastate.edu/CycloneRocketry2021.
Hope to see you there!
- Will Burken, Cyclone Rocketry President
Dear Friends of Cyclone Rocketry,
I’m writing to you from my home office on a date when I was supposed to be in a New Mexico desert witnessing ISU's participation in the 2020 Spaceport America Cup. The event was supposed to have record attendance with 150 collegiate rocket teams from all over the world. Having been there myself in 2019, I can tell you firsthand, it is an awe-inspiring event. It is hard not to lament about what could have been. The 2020 Spaceport America Cup was yet another cancelled event due to the pandemic that continues to impact all our lives.
There have been some bright spots for fans of rocketry in 2020; the United States of America made a historic return to human space flight, but even this was delayed, albeit for weather instead of the pandemic. But just as NASA was forced to reschedule, Cyclone Rocketry has identified an alternate launch opportunity and will attempt to fly Ortu Solis near Argonia, Kansas, at the KLOUDBusters AIRFest in the first weekend in September. A lot could happen between then and now, but the team is presently optimistic that Ortu Solis will be launched in 2020.
With this letter, I want to thank you for your investment in Cyclone Rocketry and make good on the promises made during the FundISU campaign that you joined my wife, Brenda, and me in supporting.
The cancellation of the 2020 Spaceport America Cup is an enormous disappointment, but the young men and women of Cyclone Rocketry have determined a way forward. Their determination to launch Ortu Solis is commendable and I hope you continue to follow their progress online or in person this fall.
If you have any questions or concerns about how Cyclone
Rocketry will utilize your gift, you may contact me at wmdiess@iastate.edu or (515) 294-2105 or ISU Foundation Assistant Director of Annual and Special Gifts, Dana Savagian, at savagian@foundation.iastate.edu or (515)-294-8536.
Kindest regards,
William M. Diesslin, ARM, CSP,
CHMM “Adviser III”, Cyclone Rocketry
Hello Donors!
Today we wrapped up our FundISU campaign and we are thrilled to announce that we are fully funded! With the help of 36 donors, we were able to raise $5,070! We are grateful for your financial support and for your interest in our mission and passion for rocketry. This is the first time in the history of Cyclone Rocketry that we have been fully funded, a true testament to the progress our club has made and of the incredible community that supports us.
Thank you again for your funding, and as always, to the cup!
Hello Donors! We are currently halfway through our FundISU campaign and are just over halfway funded! Thank you so much for your support so far, as the funding we receive will greatly benefit our club. The hands-on experience in development and manufacturing that our club offers gives our members the opportunity to grow outside of the classroom and gain exposure to rocket engineering. Our next rocket Ortu Solis, meaning ‘rising sun’ in Latin, is beginning to come together, with new components being built and tested nearly everyday. This is an exciting time of year for Cyclone Rocketry and we are excited to share our journey with you!
Thank you again for your funding, and as always, to the cup!
Tier 4 + name written on payload cubesat housing, free launch day t-shirt (must provide address and size)
Tier 4 + Name written on rocket fin, free launch day t-shirt (must provide address and size)
Tier 4 + Name written on rocket fin, free launch day t-shirt (must provide address and size)