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Who We Are
The Cornell Rocketry Team (CRT) is an engineering project team dedicated to designing, manufacturing, and launching high-powered rockets. Every year, we construct an entirely new and unique rocket from scratch, along with a scientific payload such as a rover or a deployable aircraft. We were founded just 6 years ago, but we’ve already had some great successes, most notably placing 1st in the NASA Centennial Challenge. This year, we’re preparing to take our next great step as a project team: transitioning to a new, larger, more challenging competition!
The Competition
This year CRT will compete alongside over 110 college teams from 11 different countries in the annual Spaceport America Cup. Some of our goals for this competition include:
Launch to precisely 10,000 ft above ground level, using an active airbrake system for greater accuracy
Upon descent, deploy an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle from within the rocket
Power the launch vehicle with a custom-designed, solid-fuel propulsion system
Ensure systems integrity through use of a custom-designed central flight computer to coordinate signals and commands throughout the rocket
Utilize GPS and radio protocols to track the launch vehicle throughout all phases of flight
The increased difficulty and creative freedom of the new competition are extremely exciting, but come at a literal cost. The greater challenges mean larger, more durable, more robust, but more expensive rockets. Creating custom propulsion systems requires infrastructure and experimentation. Traveling to competition is expensive, reducing the number of team members that we can send. That is why we ask for your help!
Your Impact
CRT represents Cornell at competitions against some of the world’s top universities. In doing so, our members gain invaluable experience and understanding, going on to become the next generation of rocket scientists.
We are a student run team, and we greatly rely on sponsors and on donations from our supporters. Your contribution is truly invaluable, and with your help, we can send more of our enthusiastic members to competition to witness the rocket launch after a year's worth of hard work. Your help is the propellant in our custom-made propulsion system. Your help is new parachutes to control our rocket's descent. Your help, in whatever capacity, is sincerely appreciated by our members.
With $10, you will fund basic construction supplies such as screws, nuts, sandpaper, and gloves that are used daily.
With $25, you will fund various critical components on the rocket including tethers, flame-resistant sheets, servo motors, and antenna.
With $50, you will fund purchases of stock metals used to create a variety of systems, including bulkheads and the nozzle of the motor.
With $100, you will fund the altimeters used to detect the peak of flight or the parachutes used for vehicle recovery.
With $250, you will fund radios and GPS systems that allow us to find the sections of the rocket after flight.
With $500, you will fund a CRT member’s plane ticket to allow them to attend competition and see the results of their entire year’s effort.
With $1000, you will help fund the development of our custom propulsion systems.
With $2500, you will help fund the team’s next steps as we seek to expand and take on new challenges!