Photo: NASA
CSI Rockets designs, builds, and flies LOX/Paraffin hybrid rockets. After successful launches in 2023, 2024, and 2025, we are continuing to learn, iterate, and test as we build more capable rockets.
Every year we aim to achieve higher altitude launches, develop an innovative scientific payloads, improve our composites and structures, and achieve a higher test cadence. From designing a rocket engine from scratch to building custom flight computers, the team is always in need of dedicated students from any background with a passion for experimental sounding rocketry.
Develop a 2500 lbf LOX/Paraffin hybrid rocket engine to launch to 50k ft.
Build and tune an electronic pressure regulator for gaseous Nitrogen flow.
Develop carbon composite fins and a lighter composite nozzle.
Integrate a capacitative fill sensor for live LOX fill level data.
Implement a ML-based anomaly detection system using live flight computer data.
Computer Science
CAD
CAM
FEA
CPD
Machining
Machine Learning
Artificial Intelligence
Systems Integration
Collaboration
This past week, our Rockets mission successfully launched their nitrous-parrafin hybrid rocket named PleaseGoHigher at the inaugural FAR-OUT competition in the Californian Mojave desert.
PleaseGoHigher went FARther OUT, further Up, and Higher than ever, surpassing last year’s PleaseGoUp rocket and winning second place in its launch category and first place in podium presentations. It produced over a half-ton of thrust, accelerated at 16G’s and successfully deployed parachutes to safely land and be recovered. This rocket was entirely student-designed, manufactured, and tested in-house this year, and is CSI and Columbia’s second-ever rocket launch and first-ever successful recovery.
Huge congratulations to the entire team!
– Tycho Bogdanowitsch, Former Co-President & Rockets Co-Lead
