EF-1 Rocket

January 11th, 2026

Mission Objective

Constraint Awareness

Project Briefing

Designed and launched a 2.6" diameter high-power rocket to earn Level 1 certification through the National Association of Rocketry. The project focused on passive roll control via 2° canted fins while balancing cost, manufacturability, and flight stability.

The EF-1 rocket is being developed primarily to experiment with and validate passive roll control, achieved through the addition of carefully canted fins. Its design is a thoughtful optimization, achieving a crucial balance between high performance, affordability, and visual appeal.

Files & Formal Reports

PDF icon NAR card

Key Design Decisions

Engineering Methodology Cost Awareness Performance Tradeoff Impulse Class Awareness

Motor Selection

Selected the Aerotech H135W-14A for its 226 N·s impulse and 135 N average thrust, providing sufficient altitude (~2700 ft predicted) while minimizing cost compared to I-class motors.

Airframe Material Trade Study

Conducted a weighted trade study comparing aluminum, cardboard, Blue Tube, and carbon fiber across cost, density, strength, and manufacturability. Blue Tube achieved the highest weighted score due to superior manufacturability and structural adequacy at moderate cost.

Decision Matrix
Airframe Material Aluminum [1] Cardboard [2] BlueTube [AA] Carbon Fiber
Objective WF Parameter Mag. Score Val. Mag. Score Val. Mag. Score Val. Mag. Score Val.
Density 5% g/cm³ 2.7 2.6 0.1 0.7 10.0 0.5 1.1 6.4 0.3 1.6 4.4 0.2
Cost 10% USD 53.8 1.9 0.2 10.3 10.0 1.0 35.7 2.9 0.3 300.0 0.3 0.0
UTS 10% MPa 90 1.8 0.2 15 0.3 0.0 115 2.3 0.2 500 10.0 1.0
E 10% GPa 70 6.7 0.7 4 0.4 0.0 10 1.0 0.1 105 10.0 1.0
M1 25% Rank 1 3.3 0.8 2 6.7 1.7 3 10.0 2.5 1 3.3 0.8
M2 20% Rank 2 6.7 1.3 3 10.0 2.0 3 10.0 2.0 2 6.7 1.3
M3 20% Rank 2 6.7 1.3 3 10.0 2.0 3 10.0 2.0 1 3.3 0.7
Overall value 4.7 7.2 7.4 5.1

Other Materials

All other components are formally justified in the Design Review document

Roll Control

Aerodynamics Physics Theory

The EF-1 incorporates a 2° cant angle on each of its three trapezoidal fins. This slight angular offset generates a small tangential aerodynamic force during ascent, inducing a controlled roll about the vehicle’s longitudinal axis. The resulting spin provides gyroscopic stiffness, helping to average out minor asymmetries in thrust, fin alignment, and aerodynamic loading.

Unlike active control systems, this method adds no mechanical complexity or onboard electronics, instead leveraging aerodynamic principles to improve directional stability. The cant angle was intentionally limited to balance rotational stabilization with minimal additional drag, ensuring that roll enhancement did not significantly reduce apogee performance.

Manufacturing

Manufacturing CAD Mill Bandsaw 3D Printing

Simulation & Performance

OpenRocket

This analysis was conducted using Open Rocket with intentionally suboptimal conditions to encapsulate realistic launch scenarios. The modified launch conditions were set as follows. An average windspeed of 10 mph at 90° is used.The launch rod was sent to a 7° angle and is 10 feet (120”) long.

Motion vs Time

Due to the lightweight nature of EF-1, the rocket achieves an apogee of over 2,200 feet and experiences acceleration within safe bounds. The descent rate is stable with a landing velocity of 18.1 ft/s which is slow enough to have no structural damage, but fast enough to not drift too far.

Altitude vs. Position East of Launch

Results indicate the rocket will not drift more than 900 feet in worst case scenarios. This is within the acceptable range as drifting too far would create practically unrecoverable scenarios. Successful recovery is required for the certification.

Stability Analysis

Stability remains high, at approximately 2.0 Caliber, throughout the ascent phase. This value is ideal for safe and predictable flight for a rocket of this size.

Other Important Simulation Results

Parameter Value
Predicted Apogee 2762 ft
Max Velocity 700 ft/s
Stability Margin ~2.0 calibers
Landing Velocity 18.1 ft/s

Flight Results

The rocket achieved stable ascent, clean deployment, and minor cosmetic wear upon landing, satisfying certification criteria.

The following video shows the rocket's ascent:

Skills Demonstrated

Engineering Trade Studies Manufacturing Risk analysis (FMEA) Experimental validation CAD modeling OpenRocket Simulation Systems Engineering Design Validation Constraint-Based Design Requirements Engineering Aerodynamic Stability Analysis Performance Modeling Computational Simulation (OpenRocket) Data Interpretation Risk Analysis (FMEA) CAD Modeling Fabrication Methods Manufacturing Feasibility Assessment Prototype Construction High Power Rocketry (HPR) Mission Planning Constraint-Based Design Requirements Engineering Impulse Class Awareness Performance Tradeoff Analysis Certification-Oriented Design Systems Engineering Engineering Trade Studies Propulsion Selection Analysis Material Selection Decision Matrix Evaluation Cost-Aware Engineering Manufacturability Analysis Systems Integration Engineering Documentation Passive Roll Control Design Aerodynamic Stability Analysis Flight Dynamics Gyroscopic Stabilization Fin Cant Optimization Aerodynamic Tradeoff Analysis Stability Margin Evaluation CAD Modeling Fusion 360 Prototype Construction Manufacturing Fabrication Methods 3D Printing Mill Operations Bandsaw Fabrication Iterative Design OpenRocket Simulation Computational Simulation Performance Modeling Trajectory Prediction Data Interpretation Simulation Validation Risk Analysis (FMEA) Experimental Validation Flight Testing Recovery System Validation High Power Rocketry (HPR) Launch Operations Parachute Deployment Analysis Structural Recovery Assessment Flight Performance Evaluation