News

The Vanderbilt rocket team captured its ninth payload design award at the 2025-2026 University Student Launch Initiative (USLI) competition conducted by the NASA Marshall Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. NASA announced results on June 3, 2026 of the rocket challenge held in April at Bragg Farms… Read More

Rocket flight is in free fall after motor burn. Localization of fuel in a fuel tank fir auxiliary thruster ignition requires an ingenious design through rigorous testing. The following article reviews the design executed in the national award winning 2014 SLI flight in Salt Flats. Read More

Year 2025 brought both breakthroughs and setbacks as reusable launch vehicles moved toward routine service. SpaceX advanced Starship and Falcon 9, Blue Origin flew New Glenn and other U.S. companies progressed reusability efforts. Europe, China and Japan also made strides, emphasizing both the promise and challenges of moving beyond expendable… Read More

Dr. William Emfinger, a VADL Alumnus from the 2013-14, 2014-15 SLI teams, who mentors the design team on  electronics and control systems for the NASA competition has been appointed Principal Investigator and Chief Technology Officer for the ARPA-H funded RAAMP program  at the Assistive Technology Develpment Company ATDev. He is… Read More

The Vanderbilt Aerospace Design Laboratory (VADL) team attempted a very challenging payload deployment and landing sequence for the 2025 NASA University Student Launch Competition. The Vanderbilt team chose to replicate a space craft landing on an extraterrestrial body by jettisoning the payload and landing it upright. Read More

Widespread Reusability starts to become a Reality BY ZACHARY FRIEDMAN, AMRUTUR ANILKUMAR AND BOB SEIBOLD The Reusable Launch Vehicles Technical Committee promotes the development and implementation of operationally responsive and economically viable commercial, military and civil reusable launch vehicles and systems for space… Read More

Vanderbilt engineering students gained invaluable aerospace career experience this summer at the Vanderbilt Aerospace Design Laboratory (VADL). Their project, developing an autorotative lander, advanced their technical skills and provided a springboard for their future careers in the aerospace industry. Read More

Rocket team members are staying in the lab this summer to work on two designs of the drone that netted the team a second place award in the coveted AIAA Reusable Launch Vehicle Innovative Payload category at the 2024 NASA University Student Launch Initiative (USLI) Division rocket competition in April. Read More

Rocket manufacturers continue to bet big on reusability Zachary Friedman & Amrutur Anilkumar The Reusable Launch Vehicles Technical Committee promotes the development and implementation of operationally responsive and economically viable commercial, military and civil reusable launch vehicles and systems for space access and global reach. Read More

At Vanderbilt, Professor A.V. Anilkumar and the Aerospace Design Laboratory are playing a part in preparing the next generation of engineers who will pave the way to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.  … Read More