Introduction to Rocketry

Overview

AerospaceNU's Intro to Rocketry program is the on-ramp into high-power rocketry: design a rocket, simulate it, build it, and certify it for launch. Over the fall semester I took a high-power rocket from CAD through a successful flight.

What I did

• Designed and simulated a high-power rocket using SolidWorks for geometry and OpenRocket for flight dynamics — iterating on stability margin, motor selection, and drag.
• Manufactured airframe components using laser cutting and hand tools, working through tolerance and fit issues as parts came off the cutter.
• Performed safety inspections and pre-flight checks to certify the rocket for launch.

What I learned

Simulation tells you what should happen; the workshop tells you what actually happens. Reconciling the OpenRocket model with the real airframe — and catching the small assembly errors before they become big launchpad problems — was the most valuable part of the project.

It was also my first time taking a piece of hardware through a real certification gate, which shaped how I think about design margin and review on the recovery system I'm working on now.