EuRoC 2026 Competition Rocket
HARPIA will be our first liquid rocket to date. Its target apogee is 9000m with the goal to compete at the European Rocketry Challenge 2026 in the L9 category.
With the successful end of our hybrid campaign with the 9.4km flight of ISPIDA a new chapter started. The goal is to develop our first ever liquid rocket within one year of development time.
As this project is still under development numbers are subject to change.
HARPIA is a liquid-propelled sounding rocket currently under development as ASTG's Project 2026. Building on the experience gained during the hybrid rocket campaign, HARPIA represents our first step towards liquid propulsion systems.
The rocket uses nitrous oxide and isopropanol as propellants. Its flight engine features a regeneratively cooled combustion chamber, while an ablatively cooled demonstrator engine was previously designed, manufactured, and successfully hot-fired to validate the liquid propulsion approach and test key design assumptions early in the project.
Structurally, HARPIA combines a carbon fibre and glass fibre composite airframe with two structural aluminium propellant tanks. The vehicle is equipped with a Pitot-Static Probe to enable in-flight measurement of aerodynamic and atmospheric parameters.
HARPIA is designed for a target apogee of 9km and aims to compete in the European Rocketry Challenge 2026 (L9 category). As the project is currently approaching the transition from design to manufacturing, further refinements and updates are expected as development continues.