Liquid rocketry

Eos

A student-built liquid bi-propellant rocket engine.

Liquid rocketry

The Mission

Eos is Hamburg Space Team’s rocketry mission: a student-built sounding rocket powered by an SRAD liquid bi-propellant engine. The project brings propulsion, avionics, recovery, ground support equipment, and launch operations into one development campaign.

Our Goals

The first target is to develop and test an engine that can produce around 2 kN of thrust for six seconds using nitrous oxide and ethanol as propellants. With a vehicle diameter of 11 cm and a planned length of about 2.3 m, Eos is designed as a supersonic technology demonstrator to build toward the European Rocketry Challenge.

Key values

Rocket spec sheet

Propellants
Nitrous Oxide
& Ethanol
Feed system
Pressure fed
Engine targets
2 kN Thrust &
6 s Burn time
Planned apogee
5 km
Vehicle size
11 cm diameter
x 2.3 m length
Vertical cutaway render of the Eos rocket

Flight Vehicle

The Eos rocket

  • Recovery: the dual-deploy parachute recovery system brings our rocket safely down from apogee.

  • Avionics and flight firmware: redundant onboard electronics and embedded firmware handle sensing, state estimation, telemetry, sequencing, and parachute deployment during flight.

  • Tanks and pressurization system: concentric tanks hold the oxidizer and fuel, pressure from nitrous vapor pressure and the inert pressurization system feed the propellants into the injectors.

  • Valves and fluid control: a nitrous-piloted main valve switches flow into the unlike-doublet impinging injectors, all integrated into one 3D-printed assembly

  • Combustion chamber: a phenolic ablative liner protects the chamber, and the graphite nozzle accelerates the exhaust to produce 2 kN of thrust

  • Aerostructure: carbon-composite fins stabilize the rocket, the glass-composite bodytube and nosecone protect the onboard systems from aerodynamic loads

Render of the Eos test and launch tower concept

Ground systems

Test stand, launch structure, and ground support equipment

A liquid rocket is only as good as the ground systems that make testing repeatable and launch operations controlled.

  • Test and launch structure: the tower design supports horizontal integration and vertical operation, with a raised height of 10 m.
  • Ground-side fluid system: tanks, lines, valves, venting, and procedures prepare the vehicle for static fire and launch operations.

Together with the avionics network and fluid handling equipment, the ground segment turns Eos into a complete rocketry program rather than a single engine project.

Electrical and Software systems

Control systems for remote operations

  • Ground network: mission control, the launch pad, cameras, and ground fluid systems are all connected over an ethernet network. Modular nodes can actuate valves, read sensors, and power all components with PoE.
  • Remote control software: operators monitor sensors and cameras, move valves, and run procedures from a safe distance. Mission control and the launch pad are up to 750 m apart!
  • Operations discipline: checklists, telemetry, abort logic, and rehearsals turn high-energy hardware into a controlled test campaign.

Mission in progress

Development milestones

Fall 2025

Development Start

The team began Eos with concepts for the engine & ground architecture, and the first test campaign requirements.

Spring 2026

Engine Design

Engine and test stand design continued until June, focusing on the propulsion and ground systems.

Summer 2026

Manufacturing & Flight Vehicle Design

Manufacturing of the propulsion systems, and design of the recovery system, avionics, and aerostructure.

Fall 2026

Static Fire Campaign

The next major target is a static fire of the engine, supported by ground-side fluid systems, remote operations, and sensor-rich test procedures.

Spring 2027

Supersonic Demonstrator

After engine and flight subsystem testing, Eos aims to fly faster than sound and prove that propulsion, avionics, recovery, and operations all work as intended.

Fall 2027

European Rocketry Challenge

The long-term goal is to compete at EuRoC 2027 in Portugal, bringing a fully integrated student rocket to a European launch campaign.

Work with us

Meet the Team

Eos is built by students learning liquid propulsion, structures, avionics, software, testing, and launch operations by doing the real work together.
Eos Team members Join the team Support us