Help CyLaunch

CyLaunch after the PDR NASA presentation 

Who We Are

CyLaunch serves as the Iowa State competition team for NASA Student Launch. CyLaunch is also one of the many projects that is a part of the Make to Innovate (M2I) program. This project is a great way for students to gain valuable experience in rocketry and become familiar with larger team environments. The fast-paced and complicated nature of the project is excellent practice for working in the industry. The goal of CyLaunch is to build and launch a large rocket in roughly six months. Our team's objective for this year is to compete in the NASA Student Launch Competition and to launch our rocket at the competition site in Hunstville, Alabama.  

 

Competition Details

Every year, NASA issues a challenge to university rocketry teams around the nation. This challenge comes in the form of a list of tasks to be accomplished by a reusable launch vehicle. The challenge includes tasks such as performing an onboard experiment, autonomous flight and recovery, achieving a target apogee during flight, and a safe and successful recovery of the launch vehicle. This team will be entering the competition and working to develop designs that meet these challenges used to aid with NASA’s development of new technology for the future of space exploration.

Seb, Trace, and Drew working in the lab

The rocket being carried to the launch site

 

This Year's Competition

This year CyLaunch has been creating a rocket that is to complete a mission to one mile in altitude, carrying a payload. The launch vehicle must be recovered in a reusable condition, and recovery will be conducted using black powder charges and dual-deployment parachutes. This year's unique challenge is to create a rocket payload that can locate the landing zone without the assistance of GPS. This must be done before April 4th, with milestone checks along the way. Students will be completing all work on the project.

 

This Year's Rocket

Final airbrake design

 

Technical Specifications:

• Length: 12 ft
• Diameter: 6 in
• Weight: 40 lbs
• Max Speed: 550 mph 

Rocket team during our weekly meetings

 

CyLaunch at the M2i Expo

 

Help CyLaunch

CyLaunch needs your help. The logistics and travel to the competition in Huntsville, Alabama, require a lot of funding so that the majority of the team can attend. With the help of donations, students from our team will be able to enjoy a one-of-a-kind experience and represent Iowa State University at the NASA Student Launch Competition. Attending this competition has been a huge source of motivation for our team and is a very valuable experience. Learn more about our team at https://m2i.aere.iastate.edu/cylaunch/.