UAB Rocketry Club admitted to NASA Student Launch

The University of Alabama at Birmingham’s (UAB) newly formed Rocketry Club has been granted admission into the prestigious NASA Student Launch program. Despite being in their inaugural year, this student-run group has secured a spot in a national initiative that tasks them with creating, constructing, and launching a high-powered rocket.

Throughout the next nine months, the team will adhere to NASA’s comprehensive design process, which includes engineering evaluations, simulations, safety inspections, and ultimately, a live launch. Their rocket must not only reach a specific altitude but also carry a unique scientific payload that they will develop and assess.

Under the guidance of faculty advisor Dr. Cheng-Chien Chen, the team has been led by student officials like President John Francis Zech, who have strived for excellence in technical design and community engagement. In addition to the competition, UAB’s Rocketry Club intends to engage in local STEM outreach endeavors to motivate K-12 students in Birmingham, sharing their expedition and igniting interest in aerospace.

The NASA Student Launch represents a nationwide, nine-month competition that invites student teams to devise, construct, test, and launch a high-powered rocket equipped with a scientific or engineering payload. This hands-on program underscores research and engineering practices, culminating in an annual launch event in Huntsville, Alabama, home to NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center.

This endeavor encompasses multiple challenge levels and welcomes participants from middle schoolers to college students. Throughout the program, teams collaborate closely with NASA specialists and aerospace professionals, presenting an exciting opportunity to UAB’s Rocketry Club.

Birmingham should extend their accolades to the Rocketry Club for this significant achievement! For more updates, follow Bham Now on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn, and subscribe to their FREE newsletter.