News and Events
ARES to Compete at AURC 2026
ARES Rocketry will compete in the 10,000ft hybrid category at the Australian Universities Rocket Competition (AURC) 2026 in White Cliffs, NSW. Held from 30 September to 4 October, this event will serve as the maiden flight for Project Odyssey, our first hybrid propulsion vehicle.
Competing at AURC offers a unique opportunity to demonstrate our new hybrid system alongside other university teams such as Monash, USyd, and UWS. This milestone represents the halfway point of our current development cycle and a major leap forward for the team's technical capabilities.
Lachlan Miegel's L3 Preparations
Team Lead Lachlan Miegel is currently preparing for his Tripoli Level 3 certification flight, with launch planned for early May. His rocket, SA Great, has received formal approval from two TRA Technical Advisory Panel members, following submission of a detailed design and safety report.
The 2.55 m tall, 4.5 inch internal diameter carbon fibre airframe will fly on an Aerotech N3300 motor to approximately 25,000 ft and is designed for transonic and supersonic flight approaching Mach 2. The vehicle features dual-separation, dual-deploy recovery with two independent flight computers for redundancy.
First-Ever Hybrid Engine Hot Fire
ARES has successfully completed its first-ever hybrid engine hot fire, marking a major milestone for the team’s propulsion program. Following a successful cold flow test, the team ignited the motor on the first attempt, delivering a strong, stable burn and validating the full ground support system.
After extensive troubleshooting, the hot fire was achieved mid-afternoon, demonstrating the viability of the hybrid configuration and in-house procedures. This achievement positions the team strongly for continued development over the summer.
Successful Launch at Serpentine!
Massive congratulations to Auriella Fisher for earning an L1 certification last weekend! Flying on a H100 and hitting 3000 feet, Auriella tested a custom GPS system which proved to be a success.
Another congratulations are in store to Lachlan Miegel for flying his L2 rocket ‘Lemini’ not once, but twice, hitting 3800ft both times on J435 motors. Earning him his L2 certification, this marks a crucial step forward for Lachlan in gaining an L3 certification.
