Lift-off! Irish students aiming for a successful orbit at international space competition

A group of Irish engineering students are hoping for a stellar experience in Europe’s premier competition for rocket design that brings together international university teams to advance space and aerospace technology.

A team from University of Limerick have touched down at the Mach-24 Conference taking place in Spaceport Machrihanish, Argyll, Scotland until Sunday (July 14), where they will launch their new rocket, called Morrígu with an altitude of up to 3 kilometres.

The UL Aeronautical Society (ULAS) launched a new High-Powered Rocketry (HiPR) division in late 2022. This initiative offers students opportunities to engage in the learning, building, and launching of rockets. The team consists of over 35 students from various disciplines, working on projects such as Sionna, Sionna 2, TVC, and Mach-24. The team’s efforts span research-focused initiatives to competitive endeavours in international competitions.

The Mach-24 conference is a premier university-centred conference organised by Discover Space UK which provides a platform for showcasing innovative rocket designs, such as ULAS HiPR’s Morrígu. The event fosters collaboration, knowledge exchange, and competition among the brightest minds in the field, furthering advancements in aerospace technology.

As part of a partnership, Atlantic Aviation Group (AAG) has made a contribution to the project to support the development and launch of Morrígu. The 100mm wide rocket has a max altitude of 3km, a 1kg deployable cansat (a mini-satellite), an AI-powered onboard camera, a 100mm body diameter and weighs 8 kilograms.

Commenting, Susan Keating, Chief Commercial Officer of Atlantic Aviation Group, praised the “innovative and ambitious HiPR team.” She added: “Their dedication to advancing aerospace engineering and providing hands-on experience to students aligns with our commitment to fostering the next generation of aviation and aerospace professionals. We look forward to seeing the team launch Morrígu and continuing their work into the future.” 

Daire O’Sullivan, ULAS-HiPR captain, said: “We are extremely grateful to have Atlantic Aviation Group supporting ULAS HiPR. Through Mach-24 and our other projects, HiPR is creating opportunities and capabilities in space science and engineering for students in UL and nationwide. Partnering with AAG enables these ambitions and provides important exposure.” 

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