Design of innovative rockets: a focus on SUPAERO SPACE SECTION projects

The CNES-led PERSEUS project brings together several universities and engineering schools as part of the innovative rockets design. The event brings together students, researchers and companies to present their work during a project seminar held every year. The 2017 edition was held in Paris on January.

Students of the SUPAERO Space Section club (Scube) presented several projects:

• The SERA-3 supersonic rocket,
• The two-stage rocket KERBEROS,
• The MINI-APTERROS project, which simulates a reusable first stage with thrust-vectoring. Other developments include an innovative inter-stage separation system, calculation methods for dimensioning critical mechanical parts and a new system to make measurements.

The ISAE-SUPAERO team and the other member associations were pleased to receive the award for best collaborative work for the design of the SERA-2 rocket launched in April 2016 in Sweden. The SCUBE club focused on the mechanical and electronic design of the rocket along with the fabrication of some parts.

This year, the team is working on the architecture of a larger SERA-3 rocket (5 metres against 3 for SERA-2), which will embark upon 3 engines. It will be launched from Sweden in April 2017. The final assembly phase has just begun.

Five other projects being developed within the association are:

• MINI-APTERROS, a drone simulating a reusable first stage,
• SCALAR-2, a rocket fabricated by the association, launched in July 2016. It will make a second flight to carry on-board a CANSAT manufactured by high school students, in collaboration with The OSE L’ISAE-SUPAERO diversity program,
• SCALAR-3, a two-stage rocket also fabricated internally, launch scheduled at C’Space in July 2017,
• KERBEROS, a two-stage rocket, launch scheduled at C’Space in July 2017,
• SERA-4, two-stage rocket with second propelled stage, launch expected in spring 2018.

To find out more about these projects, visit:
the Club Website
The Club Facebook page