College
Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences
Date of Last Revision
2026-05-07 06:10:15
Major
Mechanical Engineering
Honors Course
MECE 461
Number of Credits
2
Degree Name
<-- Please Select One -->
Date of Expected Graduation
Spring 2026
Abstract
The goal of this project is to integrate the Stinger liquid rocket engine, a regeneratively cooled LOX/ethanol engine developed by the Akronauts Rocket Design Team, into the Copperhead launch vehicle. The objective is to design, build, and test a complete propulsion system including electronics, software, pressurization, tanks, and instrumentation capable of flight. A key innovation is the electronic pressure regulation system, which replaces mechanical regulators with servo-actuated valves running PID loops for precision and an extra degree of control.
The Stinger engine, under development since Fall 2023, has undergone nine hot-fire tests, with further testing planned to qualify the new engine iteration before vehicle integration. Once validated, the propulsion hardware will be space and mass optimized. The final test will be launching a rocket targeting an apogee above 40,000 ft at the Friends of Amateur Rocketry launch site for a competition named Dollar per Foot.
Research Sponsor
Manigandan Kannan
First Reader
Aaron Hoffman
Second Reader
Josh Slivka
Honors Faculty Advisor
Sott Sawyer
Proprietary and/or Confidential Information
No
Recommended Citation
DiPofi, Matthew A.; Griggy, Christina; Armbrust, Jonathan; and Frame, Jackson, "Development and Integration of a Liquid Rocket Propulsion System for a High-Power Rocket" (2026). Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects. 2204.
https://ideaexchange.uakron.edu/honors_research_projects/2204
Included in
Aerodynamics and Fluid Mechanics Commons, Aeronautical Vehicles Commons, Propulsion and Power Commons