Hoo-Rizon 1: Subscale Sounding Rocket; Debris Impact on Rising Orbital Collisions and Loss of Space Infrastructure

Engineering education often emphasizes theoretical calculations instead of providing hands-on opportunities for design experience. To address this gap, my capstone project allowed students to apply theoretical knowledge from courses to practical applications through the engineering design process. The objective of this project was to design, build, and fly a subscale, single-stage sounding rocket that reaches a maximum altitude of 4,000 feet. The iterative engineering design process was employed, beginning with setting constraints, brainstorming solutions, prototyping, and ultimately building and launching the rocket. Through this hands-on approach, students gained experience with system integration, structural design, and avionics programming, which builds a foundation for industry work and future capstone groups. Sounding rockets serve a critical role in understanding the upper atmosphere by measuring various conditions between 30 and 125 miles above Earth’s surface. Unlike satellites that exist in low Earth orbit (LEO), sounding rockets never achieve this altitude and therefore do not contribute to space debris. Space debris is any non-functional, manmade object left in Earth’s orbit, which includes inactive satellites, expended rocket stages, and fragments from intentional and unintentional collisions. Throughout the years, the growth of space debris has created concerns with increased risks of unintentional collisions with active satellites. This increase in risk highlights the need for improved mitigation strategies.

The associated STS research examines the technological and policy-based implementation of space debris mitigation. Using Susan Leigh Star’s ethnography of infrastructure, the research explores how these strategies become visible when broken, their scope, and the modular increment of adaptation. These facets are crucial in understanding the complexity of the large-scale implementation of debris mitigation. Various companies are creating active debris removal (ADR) methods that address the deorbit of space debris. The maturation and potential implementation of these ADR technologies are analyzed through NASA’s Technology Readiness Level (TRL) framework. These technologies include capture methods and laser systems, which are assigned a TRL based on their progress in the engineering design process. Furthermore, the research reviews regulations and policies that guide debris mitigation efforts, emphasizing the slow adoption of international governance. From the findings, space debris management requires an interdisciplinary balance between policies and technological advancements. By using the engineering design process to build a sounding rocket, students can understand the implications of their designs and build with intent. In the context of space debris, designing with intentionality allows for future spacecraft to include end-of-life deorbiting from early stages of development.

School of Engineering and Applied Science

Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering

Technical Advisor: Haibo Dong, Chen Cui, J Guo

STS Advisor: Rider Foley

Technical Team Members: Ben Cohen, Ethan Fouch, George Hubbard, Nikita Joy, Youchan Kim, Jacob Lewis, Tyler MacFarlane, Jean-Pierre Manapsal, Connor Owens, Luke Pritchard, Omid Sayyadli, Kushi Sethuram, Laurel Supplee, Christian Vergason