In Fall 2022 we became the first team to attempt any of the Lander Challenge’s milestones, successfully sweeping our engine in a controlled circle during our burn. Thrust Vector Control (TVC) of a liquid engine is a feat very few collegiate teams have ever achieved, and we’re delighted to join the club! We achieved +/- 13 degrees during our burn with near perfect tracking.
During our TVC testing campaign and hotfire, we stuck with our scrappy roots. The hardware needed to move our engine totaled to less than $500 — an order of magnitude lower than thought possible. Just 3 weeks after a previous hotfire designed to validate the system, we revamped our thrust takeout structure and acceptance tested the new TVC hardware and software needed for precise engine control. TVC joins yet another one of our exciting controls projects!
