The NASA University Student Launch Initiative is an annual student design competition hosted by NASA focused on advancing rocketry research. Its mission is to build foundational knowledge and introduce students to topics, techniques, and technologies critical to the success of NASA's Artemis program. Teams across the country compete to design a payload for a high-powered rocket that best meets NASA's challenge for the year. To learn more about NASA USLI, check out their competition website.
Through this competition, Swamp Launch Rocket Team members showcase their technical abilities, explore engineering applications in the real world, learn how to analyze flight and payload data, and become acquainted with the engineering design process and rocket fabrication.
Through this competition, Swamp Launch Rocket Team members showcase their technical abilities, explore engineering applications in the real world, learn how to analyze flight and payload data, and become acquainted with the engineering design process and rocket fabrication.
2024 - FASTEN YOUR SEATBELTS
Placement:
4th of 49 Teams
- 1st place, AIAA Reusable Launch Vehicle Award
- 1st place, Project Review Award
- 2nd place, Safety Award
Highlights
In the 2023-2024 competition, teams were challenged with designing a STEMnauts Atmosphere Independent Lander (SAIL) as the payload for a high-powered rocket.
To meet the payload challenge requirements, our team designed an RC airplane to transport four STEMnauts -- a non-living representation of a crewmember -- out of the rocket and safely to the ground without the use of a parachute. The payload, named "Put Your Tray Tables Up," was housed inside the rocket vehicle, "Fasten Yourself Seatbelts," until ejection during the vehicle's descent. The vehicle featured a 5.5-inch diameter to 4-inch diameter airframe in order to house the payload. The vehicle's target altitude was 5,000 ft and flew on an AeroTech L1150R motor.
In the 2023-2024 competition, teams were challenged with designing a STEMnauts Atmosphere Independent Lander (SAIL) as the payload for a high-powered rocket.
To meet the payload challenge requirements, our team designed an RC airplane to transport four STEMnauts -- a non-living representation of a crewmember -- out of the rocket and safely to the ground without the use of a parachute. The payload, named "Put Your Tray Tables Up," was housed inside the rocket vehicle, "Fasten Yourself Seatbelts," until ejection during the vehicle's descent. The vehicle featured a 5.5-inch diameter to 4-inch diameter airframe in order to house the payload. The vehicle's target altitude was 5,000 ft and flew on an AeroTech L1150R motor.
Documentation
Stay tuned!
Stay tuned!
2023 - FLORIDA MAN
Placement:
6th of 51 Teams
In 2023, teams were challenged to design a payload that, upon landing, was capable of autonomously receiving RF commands and performing a series of tasks with an on-board camera system. Our payload design consisted of three camera systems aligned with the rocket's three fins to ensure one of the three systems was aligned with the vertical axis. The rocket flew to 5,073 ft on an Aerotech L1090W COTS motor.
"Florida Man" launches at competition in Huntsville.
The team completed three test flights prior to competition: Subscale Demonstration Flight, Vehicle Demonstration Flight, and Payload Demonstration Flight.
"Saturn .5" Subscale Demonstration Flight (left, center) and Vehicle Demonstration Flight (right).
Documentation
2022 - ALBERTA
Placement:
4th of 60 teams
- 3rd place, Payload Design Award
In 2022, teams were challenged to design a payload capable of autonomously locating where their rocket landed by identifying the rocket’s grid position on an aerial image of the launch site while transmitting the data back to their ground station without the use of GPS. Our payload featured two cameras mounted on the aft airframe that captured images during the rocket's ascent. The images were used to determine the rocket's position using a SIFT algorithm.
"Alberta" launches at competition in Huntsville.
The team completed three test flights prior to competition: Subscale Demonstration Flight, Vehicle Demonstration Flight, and Payload Demonstration Flight.
"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Rocket" Subscale Demonstration Flight.
Vehicle Demonstration Flight.
Payload Demonstration Flight.
Documentation
