The Auburn University Rocketry Association prepares competition rocket for success

The Auburn University Rocketry Association (AURA) aims for new heights this year as it launches into competition season with newly designed rockets.

Coming off a successful run this past year with an 18^th-place finish in the NASA University Student Launch Initiative (USLI), AURA plans to soar higher this year.

According to Neer Patel, AURA captain and president, the team expects to place in the top 10 — if not top five — in the two main competitions — the Argonia Cup, held in Argonia, Kansas, in March, and the USLI, in Huntsville April 30 through May 4.

Each competition has unique objectives, but the team remains confident, facing each challenge headfirst. Whether it’s the design of a two-stage vehicle, which requires igniting a second stage mid-air, or the return of the air brake system, a successful feature from previous rockets, this year’s AURA rocket is ready to face both height and payload challenges.

Alongside the competitions, outreach is a significant part of students’ work throughout the year. Activities range from quiz bowls to aerospace days to spending time at the Children’s of Alabama hospital in Birmingham. Members dedicate time to engage with prospective engineers, inspiring them with a future in aerospace engineering.

Suzie Feist, AURA outreach director, was once in the same position.

“We engage with younger kids about the idea of rocket science to inspire them,” Feist said. “If I hadn’t met with people pushing for rocketry and STEM engagement, I wouldn’t be at Auburn today.”

The association also serves as a guide for students to discover their passion.

James Cannon, AURA chief engineer, said he changed his engineering concentration several times before joining AURA. The club helped him find his niche as a mechanical engineer in aerospace engineering.

“I got to see how mechanical engineering was applied to aerospace problems, which prompted me to switch one final time,” he said. “I found my place doing this in AURA, watching people solve those types of problems.”

AURA members feel like they are a family within the Auburn Family. Countless hours spent diagramming, sketching blueprints, building rockets and traveling to competitions have formed a strong bond.

 “AURA brought me a sense of belonging,” Patel said. “It’s a group of people all interested in the same thing and working toward the same goal.”

For more information about AURA, visit eng.auburn.edu/student-organizations/profiles/usli