ETH Zurich students reach for the stars
The non-profit association Academic Space Initiative Switzerland was founded at the ETH Zurich public research university in August 2017. Ever since, it has encouraged students to deploy their theoretical knowledge into practical projects. So, the ARIS teams develop rockets to enter competitions around the world for young academics and ambitious non-profit organizations.
2020 saw the launch of the 4th ARIS mission with the PICCARD project. The aim of this mission is to win the Spaceport America Cup 2022 in New Mexico. For this competition, the team want their rocket to transport a payload of four kilograms to a height of 30,000 feet and then return all components safely to Earth. To achieve this, 50 motivated students developed the completely new PICCARD rocket.
For the first time, unlike its predecessors with outsourced drive technology, the PICCARD has a student researched and developed hybrid-propellant engine. The new rocket achieved a successful first flight at the European Rocketry Challenge in Portugal, demonstrating that the system works.
As well as the new engine, a monitoring system integrated in the rocket and based on HBK strain gauges was used for the first time. With its help, the HELVETIA team were able to gather valuable data during the flight, enabling targeted optimization of the rocket for a successful launch in New Mexico.
The non-profit association Academic Space Initiative Switzerland was founded at the ETH Zurich public research university in August 2017. Ever since, it has encouraged students to deploy their theoretical knowledge into practical projects. So, the ARIS teams develop rockets to enter competitions around the world for young academics and ambitious non-profit organizations.
2020 saw the launch of the 4th ARIS mission with the PICCARD project. The aim of this mission is to win the Spaceport America Cup 2022 in New Mexico. For this competition, the team want their rocket to transport a payload of four kilograms to a height of 30,000 feet and then return all components safely to Earth. To achieve this, 50 motivated students developed the completely new PICCARD rocket.
For the first time, unlike its predecessors with outsourced drive technology, the PICCARD has a student researched and developed hybrid-propellant engine. The new rocket achieved a successful first flight at the European Rocketry Challenge in Portugal, demonstrating that the system works.
As well as the new engine, a monitoring system integrated in the rocket and based on HBK strain gauges was used for the first time. With its help, the PICCARD team were able to gather valuable data during the flight, enabling targeted optimization of the rocket for a successful launch in New Mexico.