Vision
Our goal is to establish a presence of rocketry at Dalhousie University, grow and create interest in aerospace technology in the Maritimes, and Canada, while educating the next generation of engineers entering the workforce with practical aerospace skills.
The rocketry division is structured into five subsections: Mechanical, focusing on structural and aerodynamic design; Propulsion, who selects and designs rocket engines and piping systems; Avionics, who integrates electronics, sensors, and control systems; Recovery, ensuring the safe retrieval of the rocket after launch; and Payload, developing scientific payloads for launch.
Currently our team has completed the first prototype rocket, “The Bluenose”, and we are designing a bigger and better version – the Bluenose II – to compete in Launch Canada 2025.
Story
Founded in 2022 by undergraduate engineering students at Dalhousie University, the Dalhousie Rocketry Division is a student-led team united by a shared passion for rocketry. The team consists of 20+ active members and is dedicated to research, design, and manufacturing of rockets with the goal of participating in the Launch Canada Competition.
Our initial goal was to develop an indigenous hybrid rocket motor for flight testing. In late Summer 2024, we travelled to CFB Gagetown to test fly our first rocket and gain experience. We decided to first compete in the Launch Canada rocketry competition to familiarize ourselves with High Power Rocket construction so that we have a platform to test our hybrid rocket engine. Through this we also help our members achieve rocketry proficiency certificates such as the HPR L1 certificate. HPR stands for High Power Rocketry.
Strategy
Our overarching timeline is as follows:
– Get interested members L1 certified at Mayhem in the Skies (MITS) [May 17-19, 2025].
– Test launch our Bluenose II rocket at MITS [May 17-19, 2025].
– Review our MITS launch, make improvements on our Bluenose II design, and launch it at the Launch Canada design competition [August 16-22, 2025].
The team meets twice a week, and we have an assigned team mentor to help guide us in the technical details of building a rocket.
We are currently in the design and simulation phase of the Bluenose II and parts are arriving frequently for the upcoming construction and assembly.
Impact
All of the funding will go towards the costs of buying components for the several subsystems that make up the rocket, L1 certification costs, travel costs, and event registration costs for our team.
The travel costs will specifically go towards transporting our members to the competition. This happens near Timmins, Ontario which is a 22h drive (one-way) from Halifax, this will be undertaken to reach the competition site with all of our rocket parts.
Some examples of part costs are altimeters, custom PCB’s, various sensors, fiberglass sheets, resin, composite tubes, fasteners, parachutes and many other analytical and construction tools needed to build the rocket.
We host outreach events to raise awareness and excitement for rocketry in our local community. We make stickers, rocket models and other items to give out at these events!
Your generous support will help our team give back to our local community, attend and host more launches and rocketry events, educate the next generation of engineers, and spread interest in our activities among fellow students.
To stay up to date on our work, please follow along on our Instagram and LinkedIn!
If you would like more information about this campaign, please reach out to dalrocketry@dal.ca.
To mail a cheque, please send it to the Office of Advancement, 6389 Cobourg Place, PO Box 15000, Halifax, NS B3H 2A5.
