The UTSA team secured Acme Co. onto the launch pad and nervously waited. Time for countdown. The main engine ignited and, in an instant, blasted high in the sky. The booster separated. Time for the second stage engine. It didn’t ignite. Still, the rocket’s upper stage flew almost 3,500 feet. Most importantly, Acme Co. returned safely to earth, similar to the ethos of Elon Musk’s SpaceX company designing its rockets for reusability. Looking past the ignition failure of the second stage, the ARC members considered the launch a success and a moment they’ll cherish forever.
“The experience was a mix of excitement, nerves, slight disappointment from the second stage engine not lighting and then massive relief, seeing all of the parachutes come out,” said Talley Barnes, a mechanical engineering set to graduate in spring 2022. “I…
