Vehicle division
Aerodynamics
Aerodynamics decides how the rocket flies. We study stability, drag, and performance, and design the external shape — fins, nose cone, boattail — plus experimental control hardware like active airbrakes. Every choice shows up in the altitude and stability of the flight.
What we're responsible for
- Flight stability, drag reduction, and performance optimization
- External components: fins, nose cones, boattails, and active airbrake systems
- Experimental flight-control technologies
Where it lives on the rocket
- Nose cone — Aerodynamics
- Fins and fin can — Aerodynamics
Drawn to scale from the 2025–26 rocket. Nose cone, airframe, and fins come from its 3D model; the internal sections show the usual layout of a dual-deploy rocket, not measured positions.
What you'll work on
- Flight profile optimization
- Fin design and validation
- Nose cone development
- Active boattail development
- Active airbrake development
- Computational fluid dynamics (CFD)
Tools and methods
- Computational modeling and CFD
Skills you'll build
- CFD simulation
- Aerospace analysis
- Design validation
- Flight dynamics
- Technical research
Who leads it in 2026–27
Interested in aerodynamics?
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