Project Overview

Ares is our flagship liquid bi-propellant rocket team. The goal of the project is to cultivate experienced rocket engineers through the design, build, and test of a liquid bi-propellant rocket to 30,000 feet.

Goal

Our launch vehicle's architecture allows the project to be based around an attainable 1-year deliverable at incredibly low cost for a liquid system. Beyond this, everything within reason is built in-house to maximize educational value.

Ambition

We aim to reach higher altitudes with each year and design iteration, staying at the forefront of collegiate rocketry!

Outcomes

In its first 7 years, Project Ares has launched 6 liquid powered rockets and conducted over 25 liquid static fires.

Achievements

UCLA now holds the record for the highest student-built liquid bi-propellant rocket flown. Our rocket Tranquility, launched in April 2019, lost telemetry connection at about 14,600 feet while traveling at a speed of Mach 1.3. Our rocket Ambition, launched in May 2021, beat our own record and successfully launched and recovered to an altitude of 19,000 feet. Most recently, our rocket Phoenix, launched in March 2023, surpassed Ambition and set a new collegiate record of 22,500 feet!

Merits

For 7 years running, UCLA has been the only school to launch a rocket at the FAR-Mars liquid rocket competition. We are also a winner in the FAR Dollar-Per-Foot competition as of March 2023.