Projects

We work on a variety of exciting space-related projects. This year, our main projects are component-level projects and proofs-of-concept that will give us practice of what we’ll need to one day launch something into space.

Find below our current projects


2023/2024

This year our society is undergoing a revival after Covid-19 and we have 4 projects that we are running this academic year

Rocketry: 

The rocket division of Warwick Aerospace aims to design and manufacture a medium-scale rocket powered by KNSU solid fuel. The work of the team will encompass designing and manufacturing everything from the nose cone to the launch system.

Drones: 

We will be working on developing drones and autonomous systems in various applications. Initially, the primary objective of this project will be to manufacture a Hexarotor system with autonomous capabilities. The secondary objective will be to fabricate a swarm drone with collaboration with Robotics society.

Satellites:

The primary objective of this team is to work on small-scale projects involving telecommunications. We will obtain an amateur radio license and set up a ground station for communication with low earth orbit satellites. We hope to collaborate with WUSAT to provide a ground station for their upcoming WUSAT-3 satellite and with the rocketry team on their communication system. In the long term we aim to start designing our own CubeSat, which will involve working closely with aerospace agencies such as UKSA and ESA.

RC aircrafts:

We are designing an RC aircraft that looks to incorporate advanced avionics, such as targeting systems, and mechanical elements like payload delivery. We plan to create a plane that can be used for a variety of functions.

Got your own idea? Let us know!

2018/2019

This year we’re working on continuing our ongoing projects, as well as some smaller ideas aimed as short introductory projects.

Drone Quad-copter: 

Although the drone has been flying before we’re working on some changes. We’re looking to have this up and flying again soon though!

High-Altitude Ballooning: 

Progress with the balloon has been slow however we’re eager to get it up this year. We have all the equipment and are currently working on the payload. Hopefully with a camera mounted on the body we can upload some fantastic images!

UKSEDS National Rocketry Championship (NRC)

We’re currently planning out our rocket for the UKSEDS National Rocketry Competition. We have targeted to take part in the competition in June of 2019. Keep an eye on our twitter or instagram page to follow our progress!

2016/2017

This year we’re working on continuing our ongoing projects, as well as some smaller ideas aimed as short introductory projects.

Quad-copter: 

The quad-copter is built but is currently best described as “finicky”. We’re aiming to get this flying early in term 1, then working on the autonomous aspect.

3D Printed Orrey: 

Orreys are small models of solar systems, which rotate relative to each other. We’re aiming to build a model of our earth, sun and moon; with the aim for expanding to include other planets in the solar system.

High-Altitude Ballooning:

Send experimental hardware, scientific experiments, radios and cameras to 30 kilometres above the ground! High-altitude ballooning allows us to reach altitudes that we won’t get to by rocket for at least a few more years. Also, getting pictures from the upper atmosphere is always cool.

Insert Your Project Here: 

Got an idea for a project of your own? You don’t need experience, only enthusiasm!


2015/2016

This year we’re working on four main projects: two are returning from last year, and two are new – specifically aimed at attempting to create autonomous robots.

Quadcopter: 

We’re aiming to build a small RC quadcopter drone, programming it with our own stabilisation software. The eventual goal is to make it a drone: entirely autonomous.

Rover: 

We want to build a small Mars style rover, either with tracks or 6 wheels. The advanced goal is for it to explore a room autonomously.

High-Altitude Ballooning: 

Send experimental hardware, scientific experiments, radios and cameras to 30 kilometres above the ground! High-altitude ballooning allows us to reach altitudes that we won’t get to by rocket for at least a few more years. Also, getting pictures from the upper atmosphere is always cool.

UKSEDS National Rocketry Championship (NRC): 

It’s NRC time again!


2014/2015

This year we’re working on four main projects: two specifically aimed at exploring technologies that’ll be useful for reaching space, and two others to give new rocketeers a hands-on introduction to high-power rocketry and high-altitude ballooning.

High-Altitude Ballooning: 

Send experimental hardware, scientific experiments, radios and cameras to 30 kilometres above the ground! High-altitude ballooning allows us to reach altitudes that we won’t get to by rocket for at least a few more years. Also, getting pictures from the upper atmosphere is always cool.

Torch Igniter: 

The smallest useful piece of hardware for a liquid-propellant rocket engine: essentially a tiny rocket engine whose exhaust ignites the main engine. Developing a small reusable liquid-propellant engine would open up a lot of opportunities, and the experiences of other experimental rocketeers have shown that an igniter is the best place to start!

Actively Stabilised Rocket: 

The typical amateur rocket flies in a straight line because of the aerodynamic effects of fixed fins. We’re trying out something more advanced: stabilising a rocket actively by gimballing the motor in response to sensor readings from an Inertial Measurement Unit, allowing for a gentler take-off acceleration and a trajectory that’s affected much less by wind. By building a small hovering rocket, we can make frequent test-flights to test control systems without risking the loss of a big expensive vehicle if something goes wrong with the control system.

UKSEDS National Rocketry Championship (NRC): 

After coming 2nd last year, we are back to claim the title of “UK’s greatest aerospace society”.


2013/2014:

UKSEDS National Rocketry Championship (NRC): Complete

Some of our members worked on building a rocket for the first UKSEDS National Rocketry Championship! The goal: to build a rocket to launch an interesting scientific or technological payload to an altitude of 1000m and return it safely to Earth, with the rocket ready to be reused.