ORBiT at SU

07/20/2018

Good morning, everyone! We're now on Instagram as . Be sure to follow as we move toward the new school year!

04/16/2018

Almost ready for the first test fire of the Odin engine! Pic featuring the injector plate for the oxidizer system.

01/23/2018

Welcome back everyone, we hope you had an great winter break. We're planning on having a busy semester, so stay tuned and if you haven't already, like our page!

09/13/2017

ORBiT at SU is excited to be working with the Museum of Science & Technology - MOST to repair and fly their X'treme X'plorer later next semester. Thanks to for the funding to make this happen!

09/07/2017

Welcome back, everyone! Our first GBM is this Friday! All current members and interested students are invited. Gabriel Smolnycki (ORBiT alumni) will join us as a guest speaker.

04/07/2017

thanks for the post! almost done with full assembly

After a few months of revisions, we’re set to move forward on our new test setup. Highlights of the design are variable engine mounting, streamlined fabrication, a linear bearing system, …

03/22/2017

Test setup design completed-- now onto fabrication!

Test Stand 2.0! By Kevin Gautreau March 21, 2017 March 21, 2017 After a few months of revisions, we have frozen our test setup design. Let the manufacturing begin! ORBiT 3/3/17 update Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *CommentName* Email*...

01/12/2017

Update on our progress-

ORBiT Update January 12, 2017• by Kevin Gautreau Over the break, we have been continuing our work on our next (yet to be named) engine. This engine will be our second crack at a Hybrid Rocket, using liquid N2O and a solid HTPB grain. As this design work advances, we will continue working with our Or...

11/21/2016

Following improvements to our feed system, we saw much improved mixing and a corresponding increase in efficiency. This led to high temperatures that melted and burned our steel nozzle at around T+20s. As a result, we will be replacing the nozzle with a more heat-resistant material. By far our most successful test yet!

11/13/2016

Today marked our third and final test using paraffin wax and compressed air as propellants. We are now focusing on making the transition to HTPB and N2O, which will still be used with this engine as a test bed.

We were able to achieve a much cleaner burn at higher pressures and temperatures. Unfortunately for our nozzle insert, these temperatures exceeded its melting point!

11/10/2016

A third hydrostatic test has been completed on our engine. This allows us to confidently test our engine for the third time this coming Sunday, where we are aiming to meet our residence time of combustion mark (i.e. how long the gasses are in the chamber for ideal combustion).

11/07/2016

This past weekend, we completed our 2nd ground test with a ramped-up ox mass flow. This led to a much quicker burn, but we are still focusing on a more complete burn of the propellants.