Students from Imperial College London have made headlines by securing two prestigious $15,000 awards in the Lander Challenge, showcasing their remarkable achievements in rocketry.
The Imperial College London Rocketry (ICLR) team, a student-driven initiative, focuses on the design, testing, and launching of experimental rockets. Their recent triumph as the second and third teams globally to win two $15,000 prizes in the Throttleable Hotfire Challenge highlights their technical prowess and the innovative engineering behind their THANOS-R engine.
With only three prizes available for each stage of the challenge, ICLR's outstanding performance has solidified their reputation as a leader in aerospace innovation.
Understanding the Throttleable Hotfire Challenge
This challenge is a demanding test of advanced rocket control systems. To achieve success, teams must maintain their engine's thrust within a narrow margin of 5% of the target profile, precisely adjusting between 240kg and 80kg of thrust.
Mastering throttle control is essential for managing liftoff dynamics, modifying flight paths, and developing self-landing technologies—capabilities that have only been successfully demonstrated by industry giants like SpaceX and Blue Origin.
Reflecting on their achievement, the Propulsion Technical Lead and undergraduate Aeronautics student stated, "Winning the CPLC challenge through a series of 11 hot fires showcases the innovative engineering and relentless commitment of our team. This success illustrates our adaptability to new challenges and our ability to create reliable systems."
ICLR's recent accomplishments add to a growing list of milestones, including:
- Becoming the first European student team to successfully implement Thrust Vector Control (TVC) with a liquid rocket engine.
- Winning $15,000 for completing the Thrust Vector Control (TVC) Hotfire Lander Challenge.
The financial rewards from these achievements will propel ICLR's ongoing projects, including the development of their flagship rocket and a self-landing reusable hopper rocket. Furthermore, the prize money will enhance their testing facilities, ensuring continued innovation.
ICLR's success is bolstered by support from academic and industry partners, including Dr. Aaron Knoll from the Department of Aeronautics, along with key sponsors Autodesk and Alloyed.