LAUNCH TEAM — Members of the Cedarville University NASA Student Launch team along with the rocket they designed and built
CEDARVILLE, OHIO (April 23, 2025) — A team of Cedarville University senior engineering students is preparing to launch a high-powered rocket as part of NASA's prestigious Student Launch competition. This nationwide challenge tests the ingenuity and collaboration of the next generation of engineers.
Cedarville's team, comprised of students in mechanical, electrical, and computer engineering, will participate in a local launch on Saturday, April 26, 11AM-5PM, depending on weather conditions. The launch will be held during the Wright Stuff Rocketeers (WSR) High Power Launch at 5995 Federal Road in Cedarville, Ohio, with support from WSR, the team's National Association of Rocketry (NAR)-certified sponsor.
Each NASA Student Launch team is required to have a mentor who is a current member of either NAR or Tripoli Rocketry Association (TRA) and is certified to fly motors of the impulse class used in the team's rocket. Dave Combs, president of WSR, has served as Cedarville's mentor for the last four years.
"NASA Student Launch, simply put, is real rocket science on a slightly smaller scale," said Combs. "I've met so many students and faculty from Cedarville University who are just the kind of people needed in the field of rocketry — the right skills, the right attitude, and, perhaps most importantly, the right mission."
The local launch results will be submitted to NASA and compared with teams from top institutions nationwide, including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), The Ohio State University, Purdue University, and the United States Military Academy at West Point. Final national launches will take place at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, from April 30 to May 4.
EARLY MORNING — Members of Cedarville University's NASA Student Launch team prepare for an early morning winter qualifying launch
Leading the Cedarville team is Grant Parker, a senior mechanical engineering major from Granger, Indiana, with support from Chief Engineer Daniel Hogsed of Dayton, Ohio. Other mechanical engineering team members include Jack Kealen (Quincy, Illinois), Jackson Maley (Woodburn, Indiana), Elisa Schmitt (Geneseo, Illinois), Joseph Copeland (Godley, Texas), Jesse DePalmo (Liverpool, New York), and Seth Mitchell (Heath, Ohio).
The project also includes senior electrical engineering students Rebekah Porter of Cedarville, Ohio, who serves as the electrical and computer engineering lead, and Kenneth Lee of Van Buren, Ohio, as well as computer engineering major Arkin Solomon of McKinney, Texas.
"Participating in the NASA Student Launch competition gave me hands-on experience that goes far beyond the classroom," said Parker. "We didn't just build a rocket; we managed a full-scale engineering project from start to finish.
“Whether I go into aerospace or another field, the real-world skills I gained, like project management, technical writing and collaboration, will stay with me throughout my career."
The interdisciplinary team has worked for nine months on the hands-on, research-based challenge, which requires participants to design, build and test a rocket and accompanying scientific or engineering payload. The team is advised by Dr Tom Ward, adjunct professor of mechanical engineering, Dr Joseph Miller, associate professor of mechanical engineering, and Dr. Tim Tuinstra, professor of electrical engineering.
CU ROCKET — High-powered rocket built by Cedarville University's NASA Student Launch team
"Student Launch gives students a rare opportunity to collaborate on a real-world project that has both national visibility and high-stakes competition," said Dr Miller. "The level of professionalism and technical skill these students have demonstrated is outstanding."
NASA's Student Launch initiative engages college, high-school, and middle-school students across the country in STEM disciplines through experiential learning, helping prepare them for careers in the aerospace industry.
For weather-related updates on Cedarville's launch timing, visit the WSR website.
Cedarville University, an evangelical Christian institution in southwest Ohio, offers undergraduate and graduate programs across arts, sciences, and professional fields. With 6,384 students, it ranks among Ohio's largest private universities and is recognized by The Wall Street Journal as being among the nation's top three evangelical universities. Cedarville is also known for its vibrant Christian community, challenging academics, and high graduation and retention rates. Learn more at cedarville.edu.
