uORocketry, the University of Ottawa Rocketry Team, develops rockets!
Since our inception in 2016, the team has developed and tested a hybrid rocket engine, a novel parachute concept, custom avionics systems, unique ignition mechanisms, different control schemas for both engine thrust throttling and air-braking, a payload designed to observe the effects of high acceleration on the hemolysis of blood cells, and a custom simulation suite for the purposes of performance optimization.
While this list is not exhaustive, it exemplifies the ideologies of this team: to pursue interesting projects.
Field record
Competitions
Three competition programs have shaped the team, from our first
transonic flight to an international podium and a Canadian altitude
record.
2018–2019
Spaceport America Cup
In 2018 and 2019, we competed at the Spaceport America Cup, an international student rocketry competition.
Team at Spaceport America Cup 2018
In 2018, we participated with our first rocket, Simple Latte, which was installed with our prototype air brake.
Simple Latte failed to achieve controlled descent, resulting in a ballistic impact.
With the help of another team, we were able to recover the nose cone, which remained with the team as a test nose cone!
Team at Spaceport America Cup 2019
In 2019, we were one of the few teams invited to give a technical presentation; we discussed our ongoing search for a clever air-braking scheme that allows for a precise final altitude during flights.
We successfully launched and recovered our competition rocket, Jackalope.
The team achieved 4th place out of 47 teams in the 10000ft altitude, commercial motor category for an overall ranking of 8th place out of 122 teams competing!
This put uORocketry in the top 10 on an international stage.
2020–2021
CAN-RGX
From 2020 to 2021, we participated in the Canadian Reduced Gravity Experiment Design Challenge (CAN-RGX), Canada’s first microgravity research competition, in collaboration with the National Research Council (NRC) and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).
Team at CAN-RGX 2021
For two years, we worked with McMaster University’s Brown Lab and studied how antibiotic resistance is affected in reduced gravity environments, ultimately winning top prize.
2022–present
Launch Canada Challenge
Since 2022, we have competed at Launch Canada, Canada's premier rocketry challenge.
Team at Launch Canada 2022
At LC22, we attempted to hot fire our third hybrid engine, Inkpod.
For technical reasons, we were unable to hot fire.
Regardless, we were able to switch to a cold flow demonstration in Cochrane with successful results!
Team at Launch Canada 2023
In 2023, we launched Gee-Force One, our largest rocket so far, in Timmins.
Despite some challenges with parachute deployment, Gee-Force One was retrieved with minimal damage.
Team at Launch Canada 2024
We returned to Timmins in 2024 with our minimum diameter rocket – Apogee-Gee, aiming for the altitude record of an O-class motor.
Unable to reach the record due to thermal damage to the exterior, Apogee-Gee’s story was not over!
In 2025, Apogee-Gee soared through the skies once more, now with our SRAD Phoenix flight computer. Unfortunately, it suffered a rapid unscheduled disassembly in flight.
Team at Launch Canada 2025
At the 2025 Launch Canada Challenge, we also performed a technology development presentation on October Skies, a small-scale instrumented rocket installed with our sensor suite.
Despite not being able to launch, as well as the less-than-ideal performance of Apogee-Gee, we placed 6th out of 17 for our basic category rocket launch, and 3rd place in the technology development category with our sensor suite.
This is a major milestone for the team with our first podium position at Launch Canada!
Team at Launch Canada 2026
At the 2026 Launch Canada Challenge, we competed with yet another minimum diameter rocket, Perigee-Gee.
Not only did the rocket break the Canadian Association of Rocketry altitude record for an M-class motor, but it also flew with Canadian astronaut Col. Chris Hadfield’s signature on the nose cone.
Ultimately, we placed 1st in the restricted category and were awarded the Grand Launch Trophy for our performance, professionalism and positive conduct!
Ultimately, uORocketry is a multidisciplinary student engineering team that builds rockets, builds rocket infrastructure, and incidentally advances technologies through the meticulous combination of engineering practice and the audacity of your average rocket scientist.
Team directory
Meet the leads
The students leading the team across engineering, operations,
finance, recovery and avionics.
