Rocketry Program

Gunston’s Aerospace Engineering initiative gives students a literal launchpad for applied physics. Our rocketry team competes directly in the American Rocketry Challenge (TARC)—the world’s largest rocket contest—designing and fabricating model aerospace vehicles from the ground up.

Working in conjunction with the Maryland-Delaware Rocketry Association (MDRA) for safe, high-altitude field launches, our student rocketeers manage the entire aerospace design cycle:

• Flight Simulation: Using advanced software to model rocket stability, engine burn time, and drag coefficients before physical builds begin.
• Precision Manufacturing: Hand-crafting hulls, internal components, and recovery systems that must carry fragile payloads (like raw eggs) to exact altitude targets and return them safely without breaking.
• Atmospheric Data Collection: Utilizing onboard altimeters and telemetry sensors to measure actual flight performance data against their simulation models.