ATENEO de Davao University (AdDU) has announced its participation in the Spaceport America Cup 2024-Intercollegiate Rocket Engineering Competition, marking the university as the first in the Philippines to enter the prestigious event.
Scheduled for June 17 to 22, 2024, in New Mexico, USA, the competition will see AdDU's Rocketry Team competing in the 10K Commercially Off-the-Shelf (COTS) Category.
In this category, the rocket must utilize COTS components to reach a target height of 10,000 feet and carry an 8.8-pound payload.
They aim to demonstrate Filipino talent in aerospace engineering and rocket science, actively seeking sponsors for support.
“As the first Philippine University to join this prestigious event, the ADdU Rocketry Team intends to compete with an unwavering commitment to uphold national standards, and aims to showcase the ingenuity of Filipino talent in the intricate realms of aerospace engineering and rocket science,” AdDU wrote in its social media caption.
In addition to their preparations, the team is actively seeking potential sponsors to support their participation in the competition.
Gabrielle Aguilar, a communication student at AdDU, expressed her excitement about the news.
In a Messenger interview on Tuesday afternoon, November 14, she said, “This competition will also serve as an inspiration for the rest of the Ateneo community, to the Filipinos, to aim for something bigger. I hope they do well in this competition,” Aguilar said.
The Spaceport America Cup 2024-Intercollegiate Rocket Engineering Competition stands as one of the largest conferences and competitions in intercollegiate rocket engineering.
Drawing approximately 1,700 students and faculty from over 150 institutions in New Mexico, the event is a gathering of top minds in the field.
The 2023 Spaceport America Cup boasts over 5,913 participants, including 5,578 undergraduates, 286 Master's program students, and 49 PhD program participants.
The diverse group represented countries such as Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Nepal, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland, Romania, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates (UAE), United Kingdom (UK), and the United States of America (USA).
The competition features six categories, including 10K-COTS for all propulsion types, 10K-SRAD Solid Motors, 10K-SRAD Hybrid or Liquid, 30K-COTS for all propulsion types, 30K-SRAD Solid Motors, and 30K-SRAD Hybrid or Liquid and other. RGP