Press Release

For immediate release

October 27, 2000 - Cambridge, MA

The MIT Rocket Team will continue development of its rocket when it goes to Thornton, New Hampshire for its third hot-fire test of the team's rocket engine on November 4th and 5th. The student-designed and -built engine, which uses kerosene and liquid oxygen as its fuel, has been hot-fired twice before, on September 3rd and October 15th.

After each of the first two firings, the team used data and video to rebuild parts of the engine and plumbing, as well as to rework the computer controls. The team is gaining more data on the engine with each test. The November 4-5 test will seek to further characterize the engine's operational dependence on oxygen pressure and engine pump rotational speed.

Once the engine has been fully tested and characterized, the final flight model of the engine will be designed and built. The team's goal is to launch a 2 kg payload to a height of 200 km (125 mi). The rocket will be launched from the NASA Wallops flight facility.