The final frontier: Concordia students prepare for historical rocket launch

Starsailor, a 12-metre rocket built by Concordia University engineering students, is preparing for lift-off. (Source: Space Concordia)

Concordia University engineering students are preparing to launch a rocket they built from scratch into space from northern Quebec.

Oleg Khalimonov, who leads the rocketry division program, says the project has been seven years in the making.

It may be the first student-built liquid rocket to make it to space, and the first liftoff on Canadian soil in 25 years.

“If this is successful, it’ll be one of the first space launches of the century in Canada, which is pretty cool. Definitely, something that we’re very much looking forward to. It also probably is the largest student rocket ever built in the world, and also the first launch to space from Quebec, which is also very fun,” he said. “It’s a lot of new, interesting things that we’re trying out here.”

The rocket, named Starsailor, is about 12 metres tall.

Much like the rockets that made it to the moon, like Apollo, the rocket’s custom engine uses kerosine and liquid oxygen as fuel.

It is engineered to be able to reach 125 kilometres in altitude and cross the Kármán line, the boundary that defines the edge of space.

“When it’s flying, it reaches a top speed. The engine burns for about 30 seconds, and after it shuts off, the vehicle has reached a top speed of about five times the speed of sound,” said Khalimonov.

“After that, when the engine shuts off, it’s going super, super fast, and then it just coasts and keeps flying right off until it reaches space. And then after it reaches space, which is about three minutes, it comes back down on parachute, and we can bring it back home.”

The rocket is slated to lift off about 250 kilometres north of Mistissini, Que.

The launch team includes about 40 students.

The group gave itself a launch window from Aug. 8 to Aug. 18 to make sure they have plenty of time to finalize preparations and do their checks.

“There are 1,000 things that have to go right, but only one for things to go wrong,” said Khalimonov.

He says the local Cree community has also been lending a hand in setting things up ahead of the launch, including building tents typically used as winter lodges while hunting.

“They’ve been so helpful. So, so nice, so generous. They’ve been helping us with all sorts of infrastructure,” said Khalimonov.

The engineering team will launch the rocket from a trap line.

The event will be livestreamed and is expected to take place ideally on Aug. 11 between 5 a.m. and 9 a.m. to not disrupt airplane traffic, explains Khalimonov.

For those wanting to see the launch but also sleep in, the livestream is expected to be replayed.

A documentary is also in the works.

“This project stands as a powerful testament to the boundless ambition, creative passion and innovative ingenuity of the Gina Cody School students, who are boldly pushing the frontiers of space engineering through this landmark multidisciplinary initiative,” said Mourad Debbabi, dean of the Gina Cody School of Engineering, in a news release.

According to the school, more than 700 students have contributed to the initiative since 2018.

With files from CTV News’ Caroline van Vlaardingen.