Photo: Mark Canepa Sponsorship Packet RocketTeam
The Team The MIT Rocket Team is a well-established, independent student group focused on cutting-edge engineering on rocket-related projects and educational outreach. In its 15-year history, the team has taken on projects ranging from designing, building, and testing a custom centrifugal liquid engine; to developing a collapsible, rocket-deployed UAV; to now developing a bipropellant liquid engine with an aerospike nozzle. Furthermore, the team provides all its members with the tools and knowledge to earn high-power rocketry (HPR) certifications through the National Association of Rocketry (NAR). 1 As a club recognized by the MIT Association of Student Activities and the MIT Edgerton Center, the Rocket Team is currently composed of 32 MIT undergraduate students, 4 graduate students, 3 MIT alumni, and a faculty advisor. Membership is open to all members of the MIT community, and new members are always welcome at our meetings.
Outreach One of the driving missions of the MIT Rocket Team is to educate and foster interest in science, engineering, and spaceflight. To accomplish that goal, the team participates in numerous outreach events both within the MIT community and at museums in the Boston area. 2 Each year, rocket team members participate in the Splash and Spark programs hosted by the MIT Educational Studies Program. For one weekend during each semester, middleand high-school students come to MIT to take classes hosted by MIT students and student groups. The Rocket Team hosts several hands-on classes aimed at teaching a number of topics, including the basics of composite materials and the fundamental concepts of rocketry. The MIT Rocket Team has also had many opportunities to engage younger students in activities. The MIT Rocket Team makes visits to both the Boston Museum of Science and the MIT Museum, where members lead students in conducting hands on experiments and activities ranging from building small alka-seltzer rockets and egg drop structures to carbon fiber layup demonstrations.
NAR Certi cation The MIT Rocket Team encourages all of its members to be familiar with the basics of rocket design and theory and to apply them through building their own rockets for NAR certification. The first several weeks of the school year are devoted to educating new team members about the fundamentals of rocketry through lessons conducted by senior team members paired with hands-on building sessions of smaller rockets driven by lower-power motors (C-G impulse class). Once the fundamentals are understood, members are encouraged fabricate and launch a rocket with an H-class motor to obtain their NAR High Power Level 1 Certification. 3 Lesson topics include: Fundamentals of rocketry and simulation using OpenRocket software CAD with SolidWorks Composite tube manufacturing Waterjet and machine shop training Intro to avionics Launch operations, safety, motor assembly, and recovery When team members complete their Level 1 Certification, we continue to support them by providing the materials and the transportation to launch their Level 2 and Level 3 rockets.
NASA USLI Awards {2010-2011}» Placed 2nd overall in the competition composed of 30 teams» Project Review Award: The Massachusetts Institute of Technology received the Project Review Award by delivering the best combination of written Preliminary Design, Critical Design and Flight Readiness Reviews and formal presentations.» Rookie Award: Massachusetts Institute of Technology took home its second award of 2011 by demonstrating the highest degree of success among new teams. 4 USLI Website /descriptions/university_student_launch_initiative.html For the past three years, we have entered NASA s University Student Launch Initiative (USLI) Competition. USLI challenges university-level students to design, build and launch a reuseable rocket carrying a scientific payload to one mile in altitude. In the 2010-2011 USLI, we built a rocket housing a custom-built deployable UAV. The UAV contained numerous sensors to gather atmospheric data and monitor its flight path. In 2011-2012, we used high-speed cameras mounted on our rocket to study the way its fins fluttered during flight. In 2012-2013, we designed, built and launched a rocket-deployed quadrotor. The quadrotor used a custom-built folding airframe which allowed it to be packed into a rocket. Radio control, video, and telemetry links enabled an operator on the ground to fly the quadrotor.
Upcoming: Pyralis For the 2013-2014 season, the MIT Rocket Team will design, build, and test a liquid bi-propellant rocket engine with an aerospike nozzle (the Pyralis engine). The design and construction of a liquid engine requires rigorous engineering work and problem-solving, thus providing better educational opportunities for the Team. Incorporating an aerospike nozzle into our engine will allow Rocket Team to contribute to the aerospace community as we expand our knowledge of working with aerospikes. We plan to conduct a cold flow test by the end of the fall semester and to culminate this academic year with a successful static firing of the engine. Next year, we will continue engine testing in preparation to fly the engine in a rocket vehicle at the Intercollegiate Rocket Engineering Competition (IREC) hosted by the Experimental Sounding Rocket Association in late June 2015. We will attempt to use the Pyralis engine to deliver a 10 pound (4.5 kilogram) payload to 10 000 feet (3 050 meters) above ground level. 5 Fall 2013-2014 2014-2015 Inital design Prototype fab. Cold flow test Vehicle design Further engine testing Payload development & prototype Winter Spring Summer Revise design Payload concept Component fab. Component testing Assembly Testing Static Firing Vehicle fab. Payload fab. Vehicle test flight Payload testing IREC
Sponsorship + Materials + Motors + Electronics + Recovery + Travel Subtotal: + Sensors + Optical + Engine Fabrication + Test Stand + Electronics + Plumbing & Tanks Subtotal: Budget Pyralis Engine Development + Materials + Motors + Electronics + Recovery + Travel Subtotal: The MIT Rocket Team s continued success is made possible by the assistance of forward-looking individuals and organizations. With your support, we hope to further our mission and continue to develop future aerospace leaders. $1,300 $1,000 $300 $400 $3,500 $200 $1,500 $1,000 $4,200 $1,000 $1,000 $400 $3,400 Total: $11,100 Sponsorship Levels Levels of sponsorship include all benefits of lower levels. All donations are tax decutible. The Team s funds are managed through the MIT Edgerton Center. PLATINUM: $10,000 Logo prominent on all rockets flown by Rocket Team, team apparel, and website Promotion during all public appearances (i.e. outreach events, interviews, etc.) Availability of team members for recruiting and to give presentations GOLD: $5,000 Logo on all rockets flown by Rocket Team, team apparel, and website Access to team resume book SILVER: $2,500 Logo on all posters, documents, and presentations produced and on website Receive regular project status updates Use of team photographs and videos 6 BRONZE: Under $1,000 Logo and promotion on team website
Contact Information: President: Matthew Vernacchia mvernacc@mit.edu 412.722.3529 Vice-President: James Logan jdlogan@mit.edu 617.599.7072 Treasurer: Connie Liu cyliu@mit.edu 720.808.4808