06/25/2026
UT Rocketry's Project Astraeus for the 2026 NASA University Student Launch Initiative is officially complete! After nine months of designing, building, testing, and launching, our team was very proud to be one of only 22 universities selected to fly at the NASA University Student Launch Initiative this past May in Huntsville, Alabama.
First, we would like to thank the University of Toledo and the College of Engineering for providing us with the resources and support needed to grow as an organization. A special thank you also goes to our club advisor, Dr. Ray Hixon and our mentor, Rick Sharp, for their guidance and encouragement throughout our journey.
To our club leadership, thank you for the countless hours spent planning, organizing, and leading the club. To our President and Payload Lead, Mike Vargas, thank you for overseeing the teams idea and coordinating the Payload design. To our Vice President, Austin Ott, thank you for helping manage club operations, and designing the Vehicle. To our Secretary, Corbin McDonough, thank you for maintaining communication, and organizing STEM engagement events. To our Treasurer, Jack Cygnor, thank you for managing the clubs finances and sponsorships.
To all of our members, thank you for your dedication to every aspect of the project. Whether that’s writing technical reports to volunteering at club events throughout the year. All of your hard work has helped our club grow into a place students can learn and innovate. We would also like to thank our Fall and Spring graduates for helping rebuild the club and pass along knowledge information. All your contributions have left a lasting impact.
Lastly, we would like to thank our sponsors for your generous support. Your contributions have helped make this project and this year possible.
Once again, thank you to everyone that has played a role in this year’s Project Astraeus. We look forward to seeing you join us again for our upcoming challenge!
