Northstar V2 & Altair Flight Vehicle
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The Northstar V2 is the second-generation Northstar engine. Building on the proven success of its predecessor, this iteration streamlines production, enhances performance, and reduces overall material costs.
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The Altair Flight Vehicle represents SLU RPL’s next major advancement. Designed for the 2026 IREC competition, it combines simplicity with a cutting-edge hybrid propulsion system, setting a new standard for performance and reliability.
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The upgraded Ground Support Equipment (GSE) Version 2 improves operational efficiency and significantly enhances safety for all personnel involved.
Per aspera ad astra
Altair - Northstar
The Flight Vehicle
Altair is the next generation flight vehicle that has been designed around the Northstar hybrid propulsion system. This vehicle is competing in the 2026 International Rocketry and Engineering Challenge in midland Texas. Altair is built on principles of reliability and cutting edge hybrid control software. Altair has a target apogee of 10,000 ft AGL with an extra altitude margin to nearly 28,000 ft allowing for compensation for adverse flight conditions, and versatile enough to achieve a multitude of different altitude goals in its flight envelope.
Altair–Northstar is more than just a vehicle with a brand-new propulsion system; it builds on SLU RPL’s proven track record of student-designed and researched components. With over 80% of its parts manufactured in-house, Project Altair is producing carbon fiber airframes, CNC-machined bulkheads, and manually crafted motor hardware. Altair isn’t just a new rocket, it stands on the foundation of RPL’s past achievements.
