Monash University’s HiLaunch Powered Rocketry (HPR) team is gearing up for a significant milestone this weekend, with plans to launch their most advanced competition rocket to date. The rocket, named Project Zenith, is set to soar to an impressive altitude of 10,000 feet in the skies above Bendigo, central Victoria, marking a momentous step for Australian student-led aerospace engineering.
Powered by the Solaris MkII hybrid engine, entirely researched, developed, and constructed by the student team, Project Zenith will be the most powerful 100 per cent student-researched and developed (SRAD) rocket ever launched in Australia. The launch, scheduled for Saturday 8 September, will serve as a critical test of the rocket’s systems ahead of its competitive debut at the Spaceport America Cup in June 2025. This prestigious event, held in New Mexico, USA, is the largest intercollegiate rocket engineering competition in the world, where Monash HPR will compete against leading universities from around the globe.
The Solaris MkII hybrid engine, which uses a combination of solid fuel and a liquid oxidizer, represents years of meticulous engineering, design, and testing. The team’s success in creating this engine allows them to compete in the elite “10k SRAD Hybrid/Liquid & other” category at Spaceport America Cup—making them the first Australian student team to enter this advanced category.
Team spokesperson Sudarshan Shorna Kumar, an Aerospace Engineering and Commerce student at Monash, shared his excitement about the upcoming competition. “We’re thrilled to be the first Australian student team to enter a rocket in this category, competing against the best universities from around the world.”
Project Zenith is more than just a powerful engine. It also boasts several innovative systems designed by the student team. These include airbrakes to enhance precision control and achieve the target altitude of 10,000 feet, as well as a Gas Operated Deployment System (GODS) to release the parachute for a safe return to Earth. Additionally, a suite of new sensors and avionics systems will record vital flight data throughout the mission.
The launch will take place at the Victorian Rocketry Association’s Serpentine launch site, approximately 45 km northwest of Bendigo. The team will be providing live updates and sharing footage from the launch on YouTube and Facebook, offering an exciting glimpse into this groundbreaking moment in Australian rocketry.
