IREC 2026 - Flashpoint Rocket

Flashpoint is a single-stage, dual-deploy rocket that competed in the IREC 10K SRAD category, powered by an SRAD N3724 solid motor. Named after the DC Comics New 52 storyline, in which a single altered event forces everything afterward to be reset, echoing how the past year's setbacks became the turning point that led the team to rebuild its approach for this year's rocket. The rocket reached an apogee of 9784 ft and had a fully successful recovery, making it the first rocket from GW in over a year and their first at IREC in over 4 years to do so. Read more here: https://engineering.gwu.edu/gw-rocket-team-soars-and-builds-success-2026-rocketry-competition

The Thermal and Pressure Analysis System (TPAS) is an onboard flight diagnostic system that collects temperature and pressure data from the N3724 solid motor during flight. It is the final iteration of the project, driven by a motor casing failure at IREC 2023, implemented at IREC 2024 and planned for IREC 2025. Nine thermistors arranged in three axial rows of three circumferentially spaced sensors, along with a pressure transducer at the forward closure, log data at 80 samples per second per channel to a micro-SD card for post-flight extraction and comparison against static fire results. Sensor wires run externally along the fin can, are threaded back into the airframe at their designated sensor positions, and are encased in fiberglass cloth adhered with Proline 4500 Epoxy to protect the wiring and reduce aerodynamic disturbance. At competition, only pressure data was reliably collected during the flight.

'Puter was a scientific 2U non-deployable CubeSat housed in the rocket's nose cone coupler. It was equipped with an IMU, barometric pressure sensor, and magnetometer; a Teensy 4.1 microcontroller logged all sensor data and transmitted it via a Digi XBee Pro S3B 915 MHz radio to an SRAD five-element Yagi ground station. The payload was placed in an aluminum structure retrofitted from the previous years' payload retention system, weighing 8 lb combined, and placed in the nose cone to increase the static margin. The payload was powered by three 18650 lithium-ion cells and was armed via a screw switch accessible through a hole in the exterior switchband.

The avionics bay consisted of a two-piece 3D-printed ABS sled with 25% infill. ABS was selected over PLA because it resists thermal deformation better in Texas' hot climate. The three primary subsystems were two redundant barometric altimeters (the Altus Metrum EasyMini as primary and the Featherweight Blue Raven as backup) and the Altus Metrum TeleGPS module, which operated on the 70cm amateur band for real-time tracking. Each altimeter used independent 9V alkaline batteries, and the GPS used a 3.7V lithium-ion cell. Electronics are armed via screw switches mounted on the sled arms, accessible through corresponding holes in the exterior switchband.