Twenty members of the Student Astronautical Association at the Warsaw University of Technology will represent our University this October at the European Rocketry Challenge 2025 – the largest rocketry competition in Europe for student teams. The SKA Rocketry team has advanced to the finals as one of the top 28 teams.

The European Rocketry Challenge has been organised since 2020 by the Portuguese Space Agency and is held annually in Constância. It is the only student rocketry competition of this scale in Europe. This year’s event will take place on 9–15 October. Teams compete in categories depending on the target flight altitude, the type of propulsion, and whether it was purchased or developed by students. A total of 56 teams from across Europe entered this year’s edition.

400 Pages of Documentation

To qualify for the finals, SKA Rocketry had to go through a multi-stage selection process. In March, students submitted a preliminary rocket design and presented the team’s experience, followed by a Concept Report and a Design Report. At the beginning of September, they submitted the Technical Report – full construction documentation including risk analyses, simulations, and test reports. The final version exceeded 400 pages.

The team has already completed key engine and subsystem tests. They are currently finishing the production of composite elements, painting, and integrating the rocket. Trial launches are also planned in Warsaw to practise team procedures. During the competition, the team will have only 90 minutes to prepare the rocket and launch, which is why joint training is so important.

A Fully In-House Rocket

The Warsaw University of Technology will be represented in Portugal by Twardowsky 2, a rocket 4.3 metres long with a target apogee of 9 kilometres. The hybrid engine, which takes up more than half the rocket’s length, was entirely designed and tested by the SKA Rocketry team. The tank holds 16 kilograms of nitrous oxide, and the active nitrogen pressurisation system maintains constant tank pressure, resulting in stable and efficient combustion.

The rocket is equipped with a two-stage recovery system: first, a drogue parachute deploys, followed later by the main parachute closer to the ground. This ensures the safe return of the structure. The team has also designed a payload module in the CubeSat 1U standard. For this flight, it will be filled with a dummy mass and a camera, but in the future the space is planned for scientific experiments. Completing the design is an advanced avionics system with two onboard computers, telemetry, and GPS.

“This is a project we have been developing for two years, and each of us has put in tremendous effort,” says Eliza Łapińska, project coordinator. “For me as the coordinator, the most important thing is that Twardowsky 2 is fully our own creation – from the concept, through tests, to the final structure. The trip to Portugal is proof that WUT students can compete with the best in Europe.”

Although this year’s flight is of a test nature, the students are already thinking about the next steps. In the future, they want to use the CubeSat module for research experiments, and they see the Twardowsky project as a base for even more advanced constructions.

“Competing in EuRoC is a huge opportunity for us to test our rocket in an international competition, exchange experiences, and face challenges at the highest level,” emphasise members of SKA Rocketry.

The construction of the rocket cost around PLN 200,000 and was co-financed by the Warsaw University of Technology and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education under the programme Student Research Groups Create Innovations. Participation in the competition is funded by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education under the programme Support for Students in Improving Their Competences and Skills.