The REXUS 9 Rocket

While EXPLORE team is finishig up final experiment integration, it’s time to have a closer look at the experiment’s launch vehicle: the REXUS 9 rocket.

The rocket stands 5.6 m tall, at a diameter of 36.5 cm. It weights approximately 515 kg. The rocket is powered by an improved Orion motor, using 290 kg of solid rocket propellant to propel EXPLORE to the edge of space. Mounted on top of the rocket motor is the Recovery Module which houses the parachute for safe return to earth and various position indicators to assist the recovery team in locating the experiments after landing. Sitting atop the Recovery Module is the Service Module which provides power and data to the experiments and handles communication between the ground station and the rocket/experiments.

The upper half of the rocket consists of the modules of four student experiments: TELESCOBE (demonstrating a new telescopic boom system), EXPLORE (that’s us ;)  ), SPONGE (determining the propellant retention capabilities of the sponges used in rocket tanks) and REMOS (second team from the University of Stuttgart). Total mass for all experiments is 40 kg, with EXPLORE being the heaviest single experiment module at 13.5 kg. (and also the most packed one, with an astonishingly number of parts (> 600)).

For protection of the upper experiments and for aerodynamic reasons the rocket features a nose cone which is ejected after ascend. In order to allow a safe return, the nose cone has its own parachute recovery system.

REXUS 9 is the 9th rocket to carry student experiments since the start of the REXUS program. REXUS 10 will be launched in the same week as REXUS 9 and will carry an additional four student experiments.