Aldric Parent and Evann Kurzawa, first-year students in the ICM program, designed, built, and launched a mini-rocket. A look back at an outstanding project carried out as part of their training as future aerospace engineers.
They have their feet on the ground and their heads in the stars. Aldric Parent and Evann Kurzawa are two friends passionate about space and aerospace. They met at Mines Saint-Étienne this year. Very quickly and quite naturally, they decided to participate in the 2023 edition of the C’Space Project, the national experimental rocket launch competition organized by the National Center for Space Studies (CNES) in partnership with the Planète Sciences association.
A Smooth Launch
Epsiᒧᒪon, the name of the rocket designed by the two young engineers in training, launched on Wednesday, July 19, at 5:30 PM, from the Toutatis ramp installed on the tarmac of the military base of the 1st Parachute Hussar Regiment in Tarbes (Hautes-Pyrénées).
The flying object was propelled into the air using explosive powder and a fuse. It reached an apogee of 650 m. The ascent flight time lasted 10.5 seconds and the descent time, under parachute, took 81 seconds.
As Aldric explains: “Despite a few setbacks shortly before launch day, we will retain an excellent memory of this experience. We encountered no propulsion problems. The rocket remained stable during flight. The sensors functioned properly and allowed us to obtain temperature values that we will analyze later. “
In this collaborative project, Aldric was responsible for the electronic components of the rocket while Evann supervised the mechanical design.
The Irec Project in Sight for 2024
Last May, following the submission of a strong application, the two students secured a “space grant” of €3,000 awarded by the Ailes de France Foundation. These grants are intended to support deserving students by providing them with the means to successfully complete projects in fields directly related to the space sector. Aldric and Evann will use this amount to attempt to secure a place at the Irec Project next year. This rocket launch competition is organized in the United States. It brings together teams from around the world: ” We are aware that it will be difficult to participate in this high-level event. We will nevertheless try our luck by doing our best. If our American dream does not materialize, we will fall back on the European Rocketry Challenge or on another participation in the C’Space Project in the higher category. We are ready and determined to take on one of these challenges. “
