Project Overview
Project Bedrock, AURA's largest-diameter rocket yet, was developed and launched for the 2025-2026 NASA Student Launch Initiative. Standing 115 inches tall, it flew on an Aerotech L2200 motor to an apogee of 3,891 ft.
The vehicle's payload was AURA's soil collection and extraction system, the STEMnaut Habitat for Agricultural Utilization Study, or HAUS. The payload system consisted of four subsystems to complete its mission. The Wide-bore Observation and Retrieval Mechanism (WORM) served as the soil collection and analysis system. The System for Payload INclination and Equilibrium (SPINE) was the main structure of the payload, and controls the orientation of the payload system. The Wiring and Integrated Logic for Logging Instrumentation Systems (WILLIS) was the subsystem housing electronics to collect and log data from the launch vehicle and the soil sample. The Crew Operations COntainer for Onboard Needs (COCOON) served as housing for the four STEMnauts during flight.
The vehicle had a nominal ascent, executed a successful dual-deployment recovery, and was recovered intact with only minor cosmetic damage. Out of 33 teams across the nation, AURA placed 8th, the team's strongest USLI finish in recent years.