The UVigo Aerotech Solaris rocket design and manufacturing team is taking the leap into competition at the L1 event, organized by Surt and SpainRocketry, which will take place in Alcolea de Cinca (Huesca). There, university students from various parts of Spain will compete with high-power rockets designed, built, and launched by themselves. The Viradinha MkII, the only Galician rocket present, will attempt to achieve the official L1 Tripoli certification.
The Solaris team, which began its activity in the 2024/2025 academic year, is composed of 36 students from different degree programs at the Ourense and Vigo campuses. Their participation in this competition, postponed from July to November, fills the team with pride for being the only Galician team present. The event, which will be the first rocketry competition held in Spain, will feature six participating teams and is expected to draw between 70 and 80 attendees.
The L1 competition aims to foster collaboration and learning among university rocketry teams. The Viradinha MkII measures 1.23 meters in length, features avionics with telemetry, an estimated apogee of 400-500 meters, a total mass of approximately 1.6 kg, a maximum speed of 470 km/h, and a flight time of 1 minute. In addition to the launch, students will present a technical project and work on aspects of organization, safety, and vehicle design.
Solaris's main challenge is to obtain the L1 Tripoli certification, which attests to their capability for safe launches. They also aim to test their onboard avionics with telemetry. This participation serves as preparation for the EuRoC (European Rocketry Challenge) in 2027.
Students work in organized departments: dynamics and control, avionics, aero-structures, and propulsion. The initiative's primary goal is for students to gain knowledge by developing a real project through all its phases. Solaris acknowledges the support of collaborating entities: the University of Vigo, Coasa, Marine Instruments, the Galician Innovation Agency (GAIN), atlanTTic, Aeromedia, and CATEC.
