Taiwanese university launches two rockets, setting new records

National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) has achieved a dual success in its space engineering endeavors, launching both a solid-fuel and a liquid-fuel rocket on August 24. This mission marks two important milestones for the university and Taiwan's burgeoning space capabilities.

The solid-fuel rocket, designated SST3, was designed to challenge altitudes up to 9 kilometers. It successfully reached 8.3 kilometers, a substantial increase from previous 3-kilometer tests. This achievement sets a new record for the largest solid-fuel rocket launch conducted by a Taiwanese university participating in a national space program. Although its parachute failed to deploy as planned, the team successfully retrieved crucial flight data that will inform future improvements.

Simultaneously, the FARCX-1 rocket completed a mission previously untried in Taiwan. This rocket utilized a liquid-fuel propulsion system developed in-house by the NYCU team, using high-concentration hydrogen peroxide as an oxidizer and kerosene as fuel. The complexity of managing fuel supply, ignition, combustion control, and safety mechanisms for liquid-fuel rockets is significantly higher than for solid-fuel counterparts.

After numerous revisions and five to six ground tests, the FARCX-1 successfully ascended to 532 meters. This launch represents Taiwan's first use of a liquid-fuel propulsion system in a rocket. The entire process, from design and manufacturing to testing and system integration for both rockets, was the result of dedicated work by NYCU students and faculty, showcasing the university's growing expertise in the space sector.