ProjectKarman
OUR PROJECT
Project Karman
Project Karman is the first project of ASTRA and it aims to design, build and launch a hybrid rocket that reaches the Karman line at 100km height. Reaching the Karman line, which is thought of as the outer boundary between usable airspace for aviation and spaceflight, is generally regarded as the first step to developing launch system technologies and serves as a good platform for understanding the technical challenges involved.

Ready to launch in

Avionics
Another working group that is active in the current design phase is our avionics team. This team takes care of the whole electrical engineering on board our rocket. Take, for instance, our payload that will verify if we reach the desired altitude of 100 km. Another field of work for this group is the tracking and monitoring of the rocket and its subsystems.
Recovery
This group takes care of – as the name implies – the recovery of our blackbox with the most important data. To accomplish this, the recovery team designs a separation system to disjoin the nosecone and booster stage as well as a parachute system to slow the nosecone down for a soft landing

Aerodynamics
Another important design aspect of a rocket is its aerodynamic profile, which is responsible for distributing the acting forces over the body. The body must generate the fitting values for uplift and drag to ensure the desired flight quality. Our aerodynamics team designs models of the rocket and tests them prior to the final assembly and integration process.

Structure
During the flight of a rocket, different forces act on the body of the launcher. Therefore, it must be secured that the resulting loads do not damage the rocket. The structure team accomplishes this task with the help of various tests and simulations.

Propulsion
The correct design of the propulsion system is one of the most crucial tasks when building a rocket. The propellant must develop the needed thrust to lift up the launcher to the required altitude, but it must also be as light as possible to reduce the weight of the rocket to a minimum.


Want to join us?
As ASTRA progresses, we always need new people for our departments.
Regardless of your study program or your experience, you are welcome to join us. The only requirements are that you are dedicated to the work and reliable.
Please note that in order to join ASTRA, you must be a student and in the greater Bremen area. This is a dealbreaker, so please desist from sending in applications if you do not fulfil these two criteria.