Ad Astra is a 2024-2025 Space Race rocket. It contains a deployable payload named Lil Bro and was launched fall 2025. It was deemed an overall successful flight with all components recovered. The main chute was not deployed and there was slight zippering. The rocket hit an apogee of 7509 feet.

Specifications

• Length : 89" 
• Weight : 16 lbs
• Expected Apogee : 7,182 feet
  
• Max Velocity : 1011ft/s​

Structure

• Contains custom designed bulk heads in order to reduce weight
• Team designed a 3D printed nose cone with a fiberglass layup

Avionics

• Created custom battery holders
• Contains flight computers and GPS which are housed on a wooden sled
• The avionics bay controls when the parachute and streamers are deployed

Recovery

• The system features a dual-event, dual-bay setup, having 2 different stages of descent
• The main deployment uses a 6-foot parachute
• ​The drogue event utilizes an 89ft long streamer
  • ​Streamer was repurposed from a previous IREC rocket, Kong

Payload

• Payload is deployed using a custom-designed sabot that securely holds a mini capsule
  
• After being released the capsule descends safely to the ground
  
• Inside the capsule is Lil Bro which is a miniature version of the rocket which deploys from the capsule after main deployment