USC Rocket Propulsion Laboratory

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USC Rocket Propulsion Laboratory

With an unwavering emphasis on pushing the cutting-edge, USCRPL is the world’s premier undergraduate research group for experimental rocketry technologies.

The University of Southern California’s Rocket Propulsion Laboratory is an undergraduate research laboratory that designs, builds and tests experimental rocketry and propulsion hardware. Founded in 2005 with the goal of putting a student designed and built rocket into space, RPL’s rigorous research and development into state-of-the-art rocket technology has resulted in an impressive 8 mission set,

comprising of over 12 different airframes and motors. Armed with determination and skills of USC students across all engineering disciplines, RPL has made incredible advances in the fields of solid and hybrid propellants, composite structures, thermal protection, high altitude recovery and on-board avionics systems. Flight On!

01/20/2026

Interested in rockets?! The USC Rocket Propulsion Lab is the place for you! For anyone who is interested in launching rockets, come to the new member meeting THIS FRIDAY at 4:50pm in RRB 108 (Across from VHE).

To join the mailing list, use the link in bio! Looking forward to seeing everyone!

10/22/2025

On Saturday, October 18, USC RPL successfully launched and recovered Malibu and our payload capsule, CHASER, reaching a maximum altitude of 46,350 ft! After nosecone separation, CHASER was released from the rocket and then recovered independently with its own parachute. During CHASER’s descent, its cameras were able to capture footage of Malibu’s descent nearby, as seen in the third slide.

This marks the lab’s first launch and recovery of a payload capsule, along with the overwhelming success of our development projects: dual deployment, cored fins, and a boat tail.

10/17/2025

We are excited to announce our upcoming flight vehicle, Malibu, flying tomorrow, Saturday, October 18, at the Reaction Research Society’s Mojave Test Area!

Our first flight vehicle since ASII, Malibu will be testing a variety of new development projects, including cored fins, a boattail, dual deployment, and the lab’s very first payload capsule, aptly named CHASER.

08/29/2025

Excited to showcase our members’ summer internships, totaling to 39 internships across 26 companies. We are extremely proud of all our engineers!

04/22/2025

Happy Earth Day! 🌎

04/21/2025

On Saturday, April 19th, USCRPL conducted our Baja Blast static fire, testing cutting-edge advancements on our motor design. Unfortunately, after a brief moment of good burn, the rocket failed. The team is beginning an investigation into the anomaly and will return in the next school year with an improved motor.

As we iterate on the designs that brought us to space, we are bound to identify some weak points. This is the first step towards our next generation of rockets!

04/15/2025

The University of Southern California Rocket Propulsion Lab is proud to announce our upcoming static fire test, Baja Blast, on Saturday, April 19th at the Reaction Research Society’s Mojave Test Site! This test will also be live-streamed on our youtube channel!

Baja Blast is a liner-bonded, monolithic, finocyl-geometry solid propellant rocket motor being tested in a new type of carbon composite case, representing a large iteration on the lab’s motor and case designs. As this is an experimental test, it will prove to be exciting and provide insightful data to the team no matter the outcome.

02/05/2025

We are excited to announce the USCRPL 2025 Hi-AL Kiwi and first-ever Emu Characterization Campaigns! This test campaign comprises over fifteen solid propellant motor firings to characterize the new propellant Hi-AL. A select number of these firings will also begin the laboratory’s journey into finocyl grain geometry. Testing will take place in the coming weeks and with the support of the Reaction Research Society at their Mojave Test Area site. USCRPL will use the data collected during these firings to finalize the design of an upcoming full-scale static fire.

Hi-AL is a proprietary high aluminum content propellant that USCRPL’s students manufacture at Exquadrum’s facilities. With Exquadrum’s infrastructural support, Hi-AL has been in development for the better part of a decade and marks the most significant advancement in the capability and properties of our propellant in the laboratory’s history. The mixture will allow us to increase the rate of motor production, introduce new grain geometries, and improve specific energy.

Kiwi tests are static firings of singular propellant grains inside aluminum cases at a 4” scale. The structure of these tests looks nothing like that of a vehicle static fire and instead attempts to control all variables spare the propellant. These tests are named after Kiwis since Kiwis, like these cases, are flightless birds. Emu tests are identical to Kiwis but with double the grain length and propellant. Emus will allow USCRPL to test Hi-AL at higher chamber pressures and longer burn times.

(Reaction Research Society Exquadrum, Inc., an SBA 8a Certified Company)

10/24/2024

One year after Shockwave and 6 months after Aftershock I, we have successfully flown Aftershock II to space!

More details to come soon as we process the data.

10/11/2024

We’re so back! A mere 6 months after we launched Aftershock I, were ready to launch again and finish the job.

Targeting to launch Aftershock II in T-8 days from Blackrock Desert, NV.

10/09/2024

Flight On!

Address

Los Angeles, CA
90089

Website

http://www.uscrpl.com/

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