Florida Tech Team Takes Top Prize in Rocketry Competition

MELBOURNE, FLA.—In mid-April, the Florida Institute of Technology Student Rocket Society’s hybrid rocket teams took home the top prize award and had the single highest point total of all the teams who flew in the 2011-2012 Florida Space Grant Consortium/Northeast Florida Association of Rocketry’s competition flights. The precision and high altitude teams competed in the event, which was held in Bunnell, Fla.

Four other Florida colleges participated in this competition, including University of Florida, University of Miami, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University and University of Central Florida.
The students have been at work on design and engineering tasks throughout the 2011-2012 academic year.

In the Precision Competition, Florida Tech students won first place with 98 points for their engineering, design and flight. Their rocket reached an altitude of 2,135 feet, with a target of 2,000 feet. “No other team was even close,” said Greg Peebles, Student Rocket Society adviser and Florida Tech director of environmental and regulatory compliance.

In the Maximum Altitude Competition, Florida Tech’s team visually estimated altitude of 3,500 feet finished second to the University of Florida’s altitude of 70 feet.

The Florida Tech team members who attended the launch were:

Chad Harvey (Sophomore, High Altitude) Overall Competition Captain & High altitude team lead, Milen Womack (Sophomore, Precision Altitude) Precision Altitude team lead; Eryk Lorenz-Kruk (Sophomore, High Altitude); Daniel Purdy (Sophomore, Precision Altitude); Lucas Worthen (Sophomore, High Altitude); Kyle Levin (Freshman, High Altitude); Niko Casciola (Freshman, High Altitude); Alan Cruz (Freshman, High Altitude); Armando Rollins (Freshman, High Altitude); Babacar Dilindi (Freshman, High Altitude); Jared Sork (Freshman, High Altitude); Andrew Grenier (Freshman, High Altitude); Alejandro Leon (Freshman, High Altitude); Gabrielle Leesman (Freshman, Precision Altitude); Michael Robison (Freshman, Precision Altitude); Kristen Erickson (Freshman, Precision Altitude); Patrick Diep (Freshman, Precision Altitude); Brock Hedlund (Freshman, Precision Altitude); and Michael Blaskovich (Sophomore, Precision Altitude)