Society for Advanced Rocket Propulsion
SARP
In 2024, SARP returned to compete in the International Rocket Engineering Competition (IREC), the premier international collegiate rocketry competition, for the first time since 2019. Competing in the 10,000 ft altitude category, our rocket Short King demonstrated the team’s ability to design, build, and fly a rocket multiple times from the ground up in less than a year. Powered by a commercial solid motor, Short King also introduced and successfully demonstrated modular payload and composite aerostructure designs for the team.
In 2025, SARP returned to IREC with Cherry Bomb, building on the engineering experience gained the previous year and focusing on greater refinement and performance. Cherry Bomb placed 18th overall out of 145 competing teams.
Our 2026 rocket, Vandal, marked another major milestone for SARP. Competing in the 10,000 ft category, Vandal was powered by a fully Student Researched and Developed (SRAD) motor featuring custom propellant that was designed, mixed, and tested entirely by students. Vandal placed 3rd in the 10,000 ft category and 19th overall out of 141 teams, representing a significant step forward in our team’s ability to independently develop advanced propulsion systems.
Building on this momentum, SARP is preparing to return to IREC in 2027, where we plan to compete in the 30,000 ft SRAD category.
This year, SARP will make its first appearance at the Friends of Amateur Rocketry – Oxidizers Uninhibited Tournament (FAR-OUT) with Steelhead, SARP’s first liquid-propelled rocket. Competing in the 3,000–15,000 ft category, Steelhead is designed to reach a predicted apogee of 15,000 ft and marks a significant turning point for SARP as we expand into liquid rocketry. Powered by a student-developed, ablatively cooled liquid engine using ethanol and nitrous oxide, Steelhead represents a continuation of SARP’s efforts to establish a successful liquid propulsion program and become one of the few collegiate teams capable of developing and flying liquid-propelled rockets.
Testing infrastructure is the backbone of what we do at SARP. All of our technologies have to be adequately vetted before we use them in the field. As an integral part of our design process, significant resources have been diverted towards preparing durable and reliable testing equipment that enables the team to iterate efficiently.
