Rocket Propulsion Lab (RPL)

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March 2025 Update: 2025 Rocket Propulsion Lab (RPL) Anniversary News

On February 18, 2025, RPL and the USC Viterbi Department of Astronautical Engineering celebrated 20 years of excellence here at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering.

Click here to read more about 20 years of history and milestones.

Click here to see photos from the 20th anniversary celebration.

Check out this special video that talks about the pivotal role that USC /USC Viterbi has played in advancing America’s space legacy through our Department of Astronautical Engineering and our Rocket Propulsion Lab.

In 2005, Rocket Propulsion Lab (RPL) was founded with a bold vision: to be the first student team to design, build, and launch a rocket into space. After years of hard work, we made history in 2019 when our rocket Traveler IV became the first fully student-designed and student-built rocket to pass the Kármán line–the boundary of space.

We made history again in 2024 with the launch of Aftershock II, the latest rocket designed and built by our student-run team. Aftershock II broke the international altitude record, reaching farther into space than any non-governmental and non-commercial group has ever flown before.

Range of Aftershock II’s Flight into Space (Compared to a Commercial Flight and the Traveler IV Rocket)

But the sky isn’t the limit for us – it’s just the beginning. We are continuing the work our RPL alumni left us to make advances in the fields of solid propellants, composite structures, thermal protection, high altitude recovery, and on-board avionics systems.

As a member of the RPL and aerospace engineering family, your support is essential to us. In commemoration of our 20th anniversary, we are asking our supporters to make a gift of $20.00 (or more) in support of RPL. Your generous gift will help to us to:

Purchase supplies, materials, and equipment to help us build our rocket and launch tower
Cover travel and lodging expenses for test and launch site operations
Support essential logistical needs including costs for propellant casting, launch insurance, and site fees.

Together, we can make history.

Launch of Aftershock II’s Flight into Space

Achievements in undergraduate rocketry:

First Team to Reach Space: Traveler IV
Watch it here!

Highest Altitude Achieved: 470,400 FT
Fastest Velocity Achieved: 5,283 FT/S
Most Powerful Solid Motor Fired: 51,529 LBF-S

Traveler IV’s Launch into Space and the Kármán Line it Passed

History of USC RPL

Since the formation of the team, RPL's rigorous research and development into state-of-the-art rocket technology has resulted in an impressive set of over 20 missions, comprising of over 12 different airframes and motors. Each one of these incremental vehicles and static fires played a role in building up the technologies needed for a successful space-shot rocket. An all-carbon motor case was tested on Silver Spur, avionics were tested on ATV and Deja Vu, thermal systems were tested on SixyBack, and all of it was tested at a small scale with the Fathom series, to name a few. When all was deemed ready, the Traveler series was born. After multiple failed attempts, it was Traveler IV that finally made the trip to space and was the first student-built rocket to pass the Karman Line. This was the start of RPL's success in the field of space exploration.

Armed with determination and the and the goal of putting student-built rockets into space, members spend their free time designing, building, and testing experimental rocketry and propulsion hardware. RPL aims to provide students the opportunity to apply knowledge taught in the classroom to a project with both tangible challenges and tangible results, as well as to provide an academically stimulating environment comprised of ideas from different disciplines and levels of experience. After the success of Traveler IV in 2019, and Aftershock II in 2024, the team has now set their sights on becoming the only collegiate team to have a fully in-house space program, capable of carrying commercial and scientific payloads to space.

RPL at the Fireball Rocket Test Site (2023)

Thank you for your consideration in making a gift in support of RPL and celebrating two decades of hard work and milestones for us.

Every gift, no matter its size, adds up to something big.

FIGHT ON!

All RSOs are approved by the university and are student-run and student-led. RSOs are affiliated with the university but not part of the university. All RSOs operate with open membership and any currently enrolled USC student may join. RSOs also operate within the university’s non-discrimination policy:

Non-Discrimination Statement: This program is open to all eligible individuals. Rocket Propulsion Lab operates all of its programs and activities consistent with the University’s Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor.