Lander Challenge

We are incredibly happy to announce, Cal Poly SLO Propulsion Technologies just won a $15,000 Lander Challenge prize for successfully Thrust Vector Controlling a 600 lbf engine. Check out their 33 day journey from the 1st to 6th attempt! Incredible cadence of testing!

Sail deployment achieved! Our Advanced Composite Solar Sail System has successfully unfurled its sail & will use sunlight for propulsion as it orbits Earth, testing next-generation technologies that will help enable future missions at the Moon & beyond: go.nasa.gov/3XovKTm

Solar power is the future — it's rapidly getting cheaper and is inexhaustible. But, it only works 50% of the time... during the day. @reflectorbital is challenging that by building a fleet of mirror satellites to power solar farms at night in Episode 50 of S³

New things to play with on the website!

Absolutely incredible achievement! @ID_AA_Carmack @dmasten

In development at Astrobotic: Xogdor, a versatile, fully reusable suborbital rocket for flight testing, point-to-point cargo delivery, and more! Xogdor is scheduled to make its first launch in 2025. #vtvl #xogdor

We're sure some of our partners are paying attention... @GoToImpulse , @stoke_space , @astrobotic

They successfully throttled from 900 lbf down to 275 lbf and back up again, over 10 seconds, with their nitrous oxide/IPA engine -- seriously impressive stuff!

Huge congrats to SLO Propulsion Technologies on winning their second Lander Challenge prize, and being the first to win the $15k Throttle Award! youtube.com/watch?v=kP3Xdb…

Benjamin Tait, @seb_berkeley alumni who now works on Avionics at @SpaceX talks about his time at SEB as the avionics lead and chief engineer and the benefits of "reinventing the wheel".

FAR-OUT. June 7-10

If you’re at @USC, consider joining the team!!

Learn more about some of the @usclpl team members attempting to throttle this Saturday in the Lander Challenge!

SPT from @CalPoly with their giant check, for winning the $15k TVC Milestone a few months back!

Madeleine Bardy, Manufacturing & Assembly Lead from @seb_berkeley

We're ramping up for hot fire on the 24th! In order-Atlas cryo flow to test a mock up injector for J&J, Atlas water flow to test our brand new throttling valve, Balerion LOx side water flow for injector characterizing flow, J&J pintle fuel side water flow for characterizing flow

T-10 days until @usclpl 's Throttle Attempt!

Congrats to Cal Poly Rocket Powered Lander Project on their first successful hotfire! They attempted to throttle in their *first hotfire* -- pretty cool!

@usclpl and, some pintle injector water flows!

@usclpl LOX side water flow testing!

@usclpl is gearing up for an attempt at the $15k Throttle Milestone 🚀 - targeting 4/27! Check out some water flow tests! 👇