USU Rocketry Club announces upcoming projects
Preparing for takeoff requires preparation far beyond the classic countdown shown on TV, according to Utah State University Rocketry Club. The club seeks to prepare students to build and prepare rockets for launch through the projects they work on during the semester.
The club had its opening social on Jan. 21, where members discussed what the club will be focusing on in Spring 2026. The event was planned and hosted by J Barton, a junior in mechanical engineering and president of the club, with the help of his presidency.
The main goal of the club is to help students gain experience in high-powered rocketry. It provides opportunities to help students learn more about making larger rockets and gain certifications to launch high-powered rockets from 2,000 to 10,000 feet in altitude.
During the meeting, the club announced it will continue to work on students’ personal certification projects while also introducing more team projects.
“This semester, we’ve got some club builds that we’re going to start working on,” Barton said.
One of the team projects is an interclub competition called “Over-easy Orbit.” This event will be held in March. During this competition, each club will be divided into teams where they will work together to design a rocket that will safely carry an egg.
“We will launch that egg and see who can launch their egg the highest and recover it without damage,” Barton said.
The club offers several hands-on group projects that allow students to get involved in working together and developing rocketry experience that extends beyond the classroom setting.
“Within engineering, you do a lot of the classes and you do a lot of the math and all that kind of stuff, but there’s not a ton of the hands-on working as a team and building a project and that kind of stuff,” said Wyatt Daugs, a USU graduate student studying space systems engineering. “We have a lot of students that are interested in rocketry. That just gives them a place to explore their interests and have fun and meet new people with similar interests.”
The club is also preparing for the International Rocket Engineering Competition. This competition is the largest collegiate rocket engineering competition in the world, with more than 150 competing teams.
During this competition, the teams involved are tasked with designing, building, testing and launching rockets with target altitudes of either 10,000, 30,000 or 45,000 feet with a payload size of 2 kg, or 4.4 pounds. The 2026 competition will be held in June.
The club will also be involved in high-powered launches when based in Salt Lake City during April, May, October and November.
“There, we have a ceiling of 10,000 feet that we can launch rockets to,” Barton said.
Along with returning club members, 10 new students attended the opening meeting seeking more information about rocketry. The club is available to all USU students who want to get involved.
“It’s really for anyone who wants a little bit more experience about rockets,” Barton said.
Meetings are held about every other week to discuss and work on ongoing projects.