Faraday Rocketry UPV makes history

Faraday Rocketry UPV broke the Spanish amateur launch record with its Origin rocket, which reached an altitude of 10.843 kilometres from the El Arenosillo Experimentation Centre (CEDEA) in Huelva, at the facilities of the National Institute of Aerospace Technology (INTA).

"We've done it! The days until the UPV reaches space are numbered. We've validated the technology. Within three years, it can be achieved," explains Guzmán Marchesi, a student at the UPV and the team's executive director, alongside Luna Marhuenda.

Origin reached 10.843 kilometres in altitude on Friday 29 May at 14.30h. The previous record stood at 7.8 kilometres. Its maximum speed was 2,500 km/h (twice the speed of sound).

Reaching space

The rocket measures 3 metres and weighs 20 kg. It has been built entirely by students, using their own manufacturing techniques, which have enabled the development of the rocket engine, the modular avionics and the sea recovery system. They aim to become the first European university to reach space.

The team consists of 68 students from different degrees at the Universitat Politècnica de València and achieved this record after two previous attempts in February. On the 2nd, adverse weather conditions postponed the launch, and on the 23rd, the record was not achieved, but the technology was validated. The UPV team has been supported by the Spanish Armed Forces and the National Institute of Aerospace Technology (INTA), which have been involved in supporting young talent. It is also sponsored by several companies.

Faraday Rocketry has been looking to space for 4 years. During that time, it has launched 6 rockets and secured 2 victories in the European University Rocket Championship (EuRoC). It has become the first Spanish team to achieve this whilst competing against universities with larger budgets.

With this record, executive directors Luna Marhuenda and Guzmán Marchesi are bringing a chapter to a close and leaving the team. It will soon be announced which students will replace them.

UPV Design Factory

UPV Design Factory is the pioneering programme of the Universitat Politècnica de València, launched in 2014. It serves as a launchpad for students' interdisciplinary projects, promotes 'learning by doing', enhances cross-curricular competencies, and fosters the mentor-student relationship. It supports teams' participation in university competitions, both nationally and internationally. It has made the UPV a leading university in Spain. This academic year, the programme comprises 65 teams made up of just over 3,000 students.