Project Overview

Project Altair was thrustMIT's submission to the 10,000 ft Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) category at the 2023 Spaceport America Cup, the world's largest intercollegiate rocketry competition held annually in New Mexico, USA. The rocket incorporated extended aerodynamic fins and a crankshaft-driven airbrake system designed to modulate drag during ascent, allowing precise apogee control and minimal altitude error.

Launch Video

My Contributions

Worked as a member of the Structures Team, contributing to both analytical and hands-on development:

• Structural analysis and validation of the airframe under high thrust loads and aerodynamic stresses
• Finite element simulations to verify structural integrity and safety factors across key components
• Design and implementation of the crankshaft airbrake mechanism for controlled aerodynamic drag
• Manufacturing and fabrication of the full rocket structure, including composite airframe assembly
• System assembly and integration, preparing the vehicle for flight operations
• Parachute recovery testing and deployment validation

Flight Performance

The successful launch demonstrated the effectiveness of the aerodynamic control strategy and validated the structural design of the vehicle. This was thrustMIT's most accurate launch to date.

Gallery

Technical Report