Rocket Project at UCLA Partners with Solar Atmospheres of California

Rocket Project at UCLA, founded in 2007, has established itself as one of the nation’s premier collegiate rocketry teams. Advancing from early hybrid rocket designs to the pioneering development of advanced liquid rocket technologies in 2017, the club fosters innovation and collaboration in aerospace engineering, providing transformative opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students alike. With over 150 members, the team has reached significant milestones. In 2023, the Phoenix rocket broke the world record for the highest apogee by a liquid bipropellant rocket, reaching 22,437 feet and earning first place in the FAR DPF competition. Building on this success, the team secured second place in 2024 with the rocket Grand Larceny, which achieved an apogee of 24,111 feet.

This year, Rocket Project at UCLA aims to surpass all competition by launching a rocket to over 50,000 feet, powered by a regeneratively-cooled rocket engine—uncharted territory for the team. In previous years, the team relied on ablative engine designs, which use a protective liner to shield the metal walls from the extreme heat of combustion. While effective, this design is single-use, requiring the construction of an entirely new engine after each static fire or launch. The new “regen” engine represents a significant technological leap, inspired by the cutting-edge advancements of industry leaders. It promises to reduce rocket mass, enable full engine reusability, and eliminate the lengthy manufacturing times and high costs associated with ablative designs. However, this innovation comes with challenges, as regenerative cooling systems are highly complex and demand exceptional material properties to operate effectively.

To address these challenges, Solar Atmospheres generously offered their heat-treating services for two of our regenerative-cooled engines, both constructed from Inconel-718. This includes the initial test article as well as the engine slated to power this year’s rocket in flight. The heat treatment process will enhance the material’s strength and durability, enabling the team to push the engine to its performance limits. This improvement is critical to achieving the unprecedented apogee of over 50,000 feet.

The project timeline anticipates the first static fire of the test variant in mid-to-late February, followed by the static fire testing of the launch variant in early-to-mid April. The culmination of this year’s efforts will be showcased in May with the launch of our rocket, marking a pivotal moment for the team.

 

This is the first year that Rocket Project at UCLA has undertaken the development, testing, and flight of regeneratively-cooled engines. With Solar Atmospheres’ support, we aim to set a new standard for collegiate rocketry and pave the way for future teams to continue pushing the boundaries of what is possible in student-led aerospace engineering.

We will update our blog with additional information on the process, testing and actual launch – stop back again!

For more information about vacuum heat treating services at Solar Atmospheres, contact Frank Trujillo at 866-559-5994 ext. 1333, or frank@solaratm.com.

And visit our Aerospace page for more information on our aerospace heat treating services.