Project

Perigee-Gee

2026

At Launch Canada 2026, we launched Perigee-Gee, an even smaller, slimmer minimum diameter rocket compared to Apogee-Gee. Instead of aiming for the O-class motor altitude record, we aimed for the M-class motor altitude record.

To make the rocket lighter and faster, the team removed several previous designs. Perigee-Gee does not use CO2 deployment devices or the SRAD PHOENIX flight computer. The fins were also switched from composites to aluminum to avoid the problems encountered by Apogee-Gee.

Perigee-Gee flew with Col. Chris Hadfield’s signature on the nose cone. Its apogee and maximum velocity closely matched the simulations, and the team completed a nominal recovery with the signature unscathed.

The flight set the Canadian Association of Rocketry altitude record for an M-class motor. Perigee-Gee earned first place in the Restricted Category and the Grand Launch Trophy, which recognizes professionalism and positive conduct throughout the final event.

System architecture

Nose cone: COTS fiberglass manufactured with VARTM

5:1 Von Kármán profile

6061-T6 aluminum external tip
Tubes: COTS filament-wound G12 fiberglass
Avionics bay: M3 threaded rods

3D-printed ABS mount
Recovery: 6061-T6 aluminum bulkheads with ribs

Black-powder charge wells
Motor mount: 6061-T6 aluminum bulkhead with ribs
Launch lugs: Diamond-shaped bearing bronze
Fins: Four tapered 6061-T6 aluminum fins

Bonded to the carbon-fiber body tube
Avionics: COTS RRC3+ primary flight computer

COTS Blue Raven secondary altimeter

COTS Featherweight GPS tracker

Screw switches

Designed system characteristics

Propulsion: COTS Cesaroni M2245 Pro75-6GXL Imax solid motor
Target apogee: 10,668 m (35,000 ft)
Predicted apogee: 10,650 m (34,943 ft)
Maximum velocity: Mach 2.3
Maximum acceleration: 254 m/s²
Dimensions: Height 2.0 m

Outer diameter 79.25 mm (3.12 in)
Center of gravity: Full 1.28 m from the nose tip

Empty 1.15 m from the nose tip
Center of pressure: Minimum 1.5 m from the nose tip

Maximum 1.6 m from the nose tip
Mass: Dry 7.44 kg

Wet 12.51 kg
Stability margin: Minimum 3.43 cal

Maximum 4.93 cal
Launch configuration: 5.64 m rail

Rail departure velocity 42 m/s

Nominal rail angle 84°

Maximum wind velocity 30 km/h
Motor performance: Average thrust 2,326.4 N

Peak thrust 3,357.0 N

Initial thrust 2,778.0 N

Total impulse 9,976.7 Ns

Burn time 4.3 s

Specific impulse 201 s
Fin geometry: Four fins

Root chord 254 mm

Span 76 mm

Tip chord 52 mm

Sweep distance 305 mm

Root fillet radius 10 mm

Thickness 6 mm at the centerline
Parachute descent speed: Drogue 25 m/s

Main 7 m/s at 450 m AGL
Peak deployment force: Drogue 221 N at apogee +3 s

Main 991 N at 0.2 s after opening at 450 m AGL

Post-flight assessment

Apogee: Approximately 10,607 m (34,801 ft)
Maximum velocity: Mach 2.3
Structure: Nose cone intact with Col. Hadfield's signature unscathed

Body tubes, couplers, bulkheads, launch lugs, and motor casing intact

All shear pins cleanly sheared

Slight dent on one fin, but overall intact

Avionics and main parachute intact

Small holes in the drogue parachute

Black-powder charge wells fully consumed

Tethers and risers intact

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