Deneb is block 2 of the mountain spirit program
Deneb has set the world record for the highest undergraduate, collegiate, and amateur liquid rocket flown. They reached an apogee of 47,732 feet.
Cygnus Suborbitals supports the Mountain Spirit program with a team of nine undergraduate students, led by Dalton Songer. The purpose of the Mountain Spirit program is to promote rocketry on campus and educate undergraduate students in the Rocket Development Lab through hands-on opportunities.
As of April 16th, 2023 at 9:42 am PDT, Deneb left the launch pad and broke the previous world record of 22,000 feet.
After three previous launch attempts, the team was successful and set off to look for the rocket in the Mojave Desert. Unfortunately, the rocket was not recovered but the team is determined to pass their knowledge along to further the future of the Rocket Development Lab and the Mountain Spirit program.
From this experience, the Mountain Spirit program is going to learn from the Cygnus team and their knowledge and will use this to create the next liquid flight vehicle.
Rewatch the livestream here.
Deneb in flight
Cygnus Suborbitals: Jared Walker, Kyle Dutcher, Dalton Songer, Dr. Daniel White, Zoe Brand, Dawson Damish, Tom De Vries (bottom) and Benjamin Black, Charles Flaherty, and Duncan Shour (standing)
Team members celebrating after the launch
Test Team putting the rocket on the rail at the launch site
The Janus engine prior to the flamethrower test. The Cygnus Suborbitals team would like to thank Valworx for their support and generous donation of valves to build Deneb.
Fluids Responsible Engineer Charles Flaherty loading LOX into the vehicle while vertical
Members of the Cygnus Suborbitals team getting Deneb verticle on the test stand
Fluids Responsible Engineer Charles Flaherty working to get Deneb vertical
Fluids Responsible Engineer Charles Flaherty with the flight vehicle Deneb
Propulsion Responsible Engineer Zoe Brand cleaning parts to prepare for cold-flow
Propulsion Responsible Engineer Zoe Brand working to install the Janus injector onto the thrust plate for cold-flow
Testing Responsible Engineer Ben Black discussing Deneb during Symposium Day
The Cygnus Suborbitals' table during Symposium Day
Fluids Responsible Engineer Charles Flaherty prepares for hydrostatic testing
Fluids Responsible Engineer Charles Flaherty and Chief Engineer James Frost prepare for hydrostatic testing