Feng Chia University's Research Rocket Takes Off Again, Successfully Launching Full-Scale Rocket

Feng Chia University's second research rocket has taken off! Today at 06:01, at the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) "Short-Term Research Sounding Rocket Launch Site" in Xuhai, Pingtung, Feng Chia University successfully launched its second single-stage hybrid small research rocket "SHSR-Aero2". The rocket has an average thrust of 1250N (Newton), burns for 12 seconds, with a total impulse of about 15000 Ns (Newton-seconds), a total flight time of about 75 seconds, and reaches a height of 6.4 kilometers, meeting the test targets.

Feng Chia University's second research rocket was successfully launched today at 06:01 at the NSTC "Short-Term Research Sounding Rocket Launch Site" in Xuhai, Pingtung.

Yesterday, Feng Chia University conducted a test launch of SHSR-Aero2. During the launch window, the rocket failed to take off twice. Chun-Liang Yeh, the project director at Feng Chia University, explained that the first failure was due to the ignition detonator being installed too low, causing it to fall off after activation and fail to ignite. The second failure was due to low power on the control panel, preventing the rocket from taking off. After adjustments yesterday evening, ensuring everything was in order, the rocket was successfully launched today.

Since February 2022, Feng Chia University has been executing the National Space Organization (NSPO) small research rocket development project, led by Chun-Liang Yeh, a distinguished professor in the Department of Aerospace and Systems Engineering, in collaboration with Tzong-Hann Shieh, a professor in the Department of Aerospace and Systems Engineering, and Yen-Huai Ma, an assistant professor at the Graduate Institute of Space and Science. The team, consisting of 23 master's, doctoral, and undergraduate students, developed a single-stage hybrid small research rocket and conducted research measurement tasks.

Chun-Liang Yeh, the project director, stated that since the project's inception, the team has focused on the development of hybrid rocket engines, rocket structures, sensor systems, electrical control, and telemetry systems. On November 12, 2023, the team launched "SHSR-Aero1" as a preliminary test for this full-scale rocket. This time, the rocket design was improved to verify the propulsion, avionics, and electrical control systems. "SHSR-Aero1" had one-third the thrust of SHSR-Aero2, providing valuable flight test data. SHSR-Aero2 built on this foundation, switching the oxidizer to liquid to increase thrust, and incorporating optimized rocket electrical control, ground support systems, rocket telemetry data acquisition systems, and a multifunctional sensing module developed by the team, significantly improving the rocket's maturity compared to last year.

Feng Chia University's second research rocket - SHSR-Aero2

Po-Chin Wu, a second-year master's student in the Department of Aerospace and Systems Engineering and a key member of the propulsion system, shared that the most challenging part of this rocket development was the system transition. To amplify thrust, the oxidizer was changed from gas to liquid. Due to the significant differences in characteristics between the two, different shapes, diameters, and numbers of injector holes yielded different results, requiring extensive calculations, modifications, and tests, making it a rare and valuable experience.

Tsung-Hsin Wu, the director of NSPO, stated that Taiwan's satellite industry still lacks "space transportation." In 2023, NSPO, with policy support from the Executive Yuan's NSTC, initiated the orbital rocket development project and continued to support academic research rocket projects to enhance the academic community's rocket development capabilities and talent cultivation. Currently, universities in Taiwan with research rocket development experience include National Cheng Kung University, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Feng Chia University, and Tamkang University.

To provide a legal and safe rocket launch site for the academic community, the NSTC established the "Short-Term Research Sounding Rocket Launch Site" in Xuhai, Pingtung, managed by NSPO for application review and operational management. To date, the site has launched National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University's HTTP-3A S2, Asfaloth, SSTO, National Cheng Kung University's two-stage hybrid rocket, Tamkang University's Tamkang-1 rocket, Jessie, Polaris, and Feng Chia University's SHSR-Aero1 rocket. "SHSR-Aero2" is the ninth research sounding rocket launched at this site since its inception.

The first rocket team in central Taiwan is led by Chun-Liang Yeh, a distinguished professor in the Department of Aerospace and Systems Engineering at Feng Chia University, in collaboration with Tzong-Hann Shieh, a professor in the Department of Aerospace and Systems Engineering, Yen-Huai Ma, an assistant professor at the Graduate Institute of Space and Science, and 23 master's, doctoral, and undergraduate students.