To Infinity And Beyond

RIT students have develop a system to place a satellite on a multi-stage hybrid rocket platform carried 80,000 feet into the air via an o-pressure balloon.

Project METEOR is a collaborative effort between electrical and mechanical engineering students. It offers visitors a chance to witness the development of a creative and cost-efficient method of placing a satellite in low-earth orbit. When the platform reaches the 80,000-foot mark, an earth-based control engages the rockets attached to the platform and sends it 650,000 feet into orbit. The rocket breaks into three sections once it reaches orbit. The final section contains the satellite, which will remain in orbit for a few days acquiring data such as temperature, pressure readings and GPS locations from a ground-controlled rocket monitoring system.

Project METEOR has conducted three years of testing. This year’s goal is to develop a lightweight, optimized injector nozzle. The team has succeeded in creating a supersonic nozzle of internalized flow and has reduced the weight of the injector by half (from 50 to 25 lbs.).

Another goal is to engage in ground-to-flight and flying-assembling testing before its members graduate. The development of these technologies could revolutionize satellite launching into low-earth orbit by reducing the cost of satellite placement, reducing timelines reducing fuel consumption and accelerating the process of obtaining clearance to launch. Gone may be the days when satellites have to be attached to NASA rockets and ejected as they reach orbit.