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Fire, smoke, and the roar of a rocket engine blasted the Colorado prairie – the Ablative Mark 1 test was an exciting victory.

A student club project at the �Թ��� of Colorado Boulder, the static firing of the liquid-fueled engine is the culmination of thousands of hours of work by dozens of students.

”It’s the most powerful liquid rocket ever at CU Boulder and the test was a massive success,” said Matthew Startsev, an aerospace junior.

Startsev is the president of so named for their goal of making the world of liquid-fueled rockets more approachable.

“We started this entire project because we felt that collegiate liquid rocketry seemed overly complex and as a freshman it seemed difficult to grasp. We wanted to dumb it down and provide opportunities for people to get into it without being intimidated,” Startsev said.

Multiple Triumphs

The test is latest triumph for BDR, after successes earlier this year with a first spark torch hot fire and a static fire test of a regeneratively cooled liquid rocket engine.

“We’ve been able to validate and improve our computational models, manufacturing techniques, and test infrastructure. It’s all in the goal to move towards more ambitious projects,” Startsev said. Most student rocket designs use solid fuel; the technology is simpler and more reliable. BDR decided on liquid because it is more common in commercial rocket launches.

“We’re matching what industry does,” Startsev said. “Our members become more marketable when they work on systems that are fairly similar to what they’ll encounter in the real world.”

Static fire test of the regeneratively-cooled engine in February.

Hot fire test of the first spark torch, held in the Aerospace Building Test Cell.

From the Ground Up

Their efforts started from nothing, with the design and construction done in-house, much of it in the Aerospace Building machine shops.

In mapping out their plan, team members sought guidance from other rocketry teams across the U.S. as well as working engineers, including at sponsor Ursa Major, and at companies like SpaceX and Stoke Space.

“The test stand, the engine, the ground station equipment, we made all this happen and the way we structure the team gives everyone the opportunity to take ownership” Startsev aid. “It’s not just four people in leadership. New members and freshmen can bite off more than they can chew and then figure out how to get through it.”��

A ground fire test is a critical step for any rocket, whether made by students or NASA planning a mission to Mars.��

“You need sensor data to know that your model reflects reality. We use pressure transducers, thermo couples and load cells to get that information and make sure the rocket is producing the 1,100-foot pounds of force we predicted,” Startsev said.

National Recognition

The team’s work has not gone unnoticed, even before their recent tests. In January, they took part in the in Southern California, and returned to Colorado with a Rookie of the Year Award.

“It’s so cool to see this thing and the dozens of members learning from the project,” Startsev said. “Everyone is really excited.”

Team members at the 2026 Liquid Rocket Symposium

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