University of Limerick Rocketry Team Announce First Additive Manufactured Liquid Rocket Engine and Join Elite Uk Race2space Competition

ULAS HiPR, University of Limerick’s student-led high-powered rocketry team, has announced that in partnership with University of Limerick and Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR), the team will design and produce the first additive-manufactured (3D printed) liquid rocket engine in the Republic of Ireland – the Lúin of Celtchar.

ULAS HiPR, founded in 2022 and entirely student-run, brings together University of Limerick students from across disciplines, including aeronautical, mechanical, software, and design engineering, with a shared goal of designing, manufacturing, and launching high-powered rockets.

The 2025/2026 team, which has grown rapidly and now attracts over a hundred motivated students, has already had success internationally, representing Ireland in prestigious competitions, including Mach-24 and EuRoC (European Rocketry Challenge). ULAS HiPR’s previous rockets – Morrígu, Airmedh and Macha – have already demonstrated strong performance and innovation in their design, payload integration, and flight execution.

As part of this next chapter, ULAS HiPR is further excited to announce its official acceptance into the prestigious UK-based Race2Space 2026 International Propulsion Competition – a major milestone in advancing Irish student-led space propulsion capabilities, and the first year of participation for the team in one of the foremost student-focused international aerospace engineering challenges.

The engine, a high-performance 2 kN, water-cooled, IPA/Nitrous Oxide bi-propellant system, has been designed entirely by the ULAS HiPR student team. It is now being manufactured at IMR’s Advanced Manufacturing Lab in Mullingar using metal additive manufacturing, before returning to the University of Limerick for precision machining and assembly. This manufacturing approach will enable the engine to incorporate complex internal cooling channels, rapid design iteration, and enhanced efficiency that would be difficult or impossible to achieve with traditional manufacturing techniques.

Speaking at the announcement, Jay Looney, Co-Head of ULAS HiPR, described the significance of today’s announcement, saying, “The acceptance of our project to Race2Space marks a defining moment not only for ULAS HiPR, but for Ireland’s student space community. The selection of the first additively manufactured liquid rocket engine in the Republic of Ireland into the competition validates the technical ambition of our student team and the strength of collaboration between Irish university students with industry. It demonstrates that world-class propulsion innovation can now be designed, manufactured, and tested entirely here in Ireland.”

The Race2Space entry, spanning conceptual design, advanced manufacturing, and testing preparation, represents a major milestone not only for ULAS HiPR but for the wider Irish student space ecosystem. Through this initiative, the team is proving that cutting-edge propulsion development can be achieved domestically through strong collaboration between academia and industry partners.

Mark Hartnett, Design for Manufacturing Senior Technologist at IMR, commenting on the importance of proposing cutting-edge technologies in student-led initiatives like Race2Space, said, “At IMR, supporting ambitious student teams like ULAS HiPR reflects our commitment to strengthening Ireland’s advanced manufacturing ecosystem and enabling the next generation of aerospace innovators. These are vital platforms for advancing cutting-edge technologies and building Ireland’s future engineering capability, and this ULAS HiPR propulsion project demonstrates how emerging technologies can move rapidly from concept to high-performance hardware.”

Acceptance into Race2Space gives ULAS HiPR an exciting platform on which to showcase Irish student innovation on an international stage, taking a bold step toward higher thrust objectives, advanced propulsion systems, and consolidating Ireland’s role in the global space engineering ecosystem.

As ULAS HiPR enters this next phase of competition and development, the team remains committed to pushing the boundaries of student-driven propulsion engineering, fostering collaboration, and inspiring the next generation of aerospace talent.