Wisconsin Space Program
Collegiate developement of a liquid rocket engine
Overview
The Wisconsin Space Program (WiSP) is a student-led organization at the University of Wisconsin-Madison that focuses on the design, development, and testing of a liquid oxygen and isopropyl alcohol (LOX/IPA) rocket engine.
Looking ahead, the team has set several ambitious goals to advance the project and push the boundaries of collegiate rocketry:
- Achieve hot fire testing by the end of summer 2025
- Design a flight-ready version of the liquid rocket engine
- Compete in the FAR-OUT competition in summer 2026 by flying the engine with the airframe developed by the structures team
As the propulsion team lead, I have designed servo valves for the engine’s LOX system, focusing on reliable operation at cryogenic temperatures. To achieve this, torque from RC servos is efficiently transmitted to the valve actuators using custom waterjet-cut gears. During cold flow testing, the valves initially froze, prompting improvements such as increasing the gear reduction and enhancing cable management. The updated design repositions servos and limit switches to avoid interference with cryogenic fluid fittings and gear meshes, resulting in a more robust and maintainable system.
