Innovation Park Zurich, Dübendorf, Switzerland, 06.12.2024

ARIS, the Swiss Academic Space Initiative, is excited to announce two launches of its NICOLLIER rocket. On the 16th and 30th November, Team NICOLLIER successfully launched the rocket in Wichlen (Glarus), surrounded by a scenic alpine range, marking this event as a milestone in the history of ARIS projects. The guided recovery system implemented represents a groundbreaking achievement, setting a world-first in student rocketry.

Run by 43 students from multiple different universities in and around Zürich, NICOLLIER is a sounding rocket that builds on ARIS’ previous projects and is especially focused on reliability and reusability. The 3.7 meters long rocket features and navigation tools such as air brakes to control apogee and a guided recovery system with a controllable parachute. The guided recovery system autonomously steers the parachute towards a safe and easy to access landing location. Before being able to launch, the team had to design it from scratch. Countless experts and ARIS alumni gave helpful feedback, and they could learn from previous rocketry projects hosted at ARIS. To ensure a launch that meets all safety criteria, the team validated each component individually in an extensive testing campaign, which ended in the successful Flight Readiness Review.

ARIS alumni, key sponsors, family members and many more gathered in Wichlen’s freezing temperatures. Over 150 spectators showed up in the end, anxiously awaiting the rocket launch. Against the backdrop of a breathtaking mountain landscape, the wait was over after a few hours: In a chilly Saturday afternoon, after a year of work and tireless preparations, NICOLLIER launched into the skies!

During the 83-second-long flight, the rocket accelerated to a maximum velocity of 413.96 km/h and flew to a height of 1015.0 meters above the launchpad. Unfortunatelyhe first launch did not go as planned: Due to a malfunctioning of the parachutes, the guided recovery system did not work. However, the rocket landed softly on a snow-covered hillside. As it was still fully intact, the team decided to learn from their first launch, and to re-launch two weeks later.

On the 30th of November 2024, ARIS’ team NICOLLIER woke up at 04:00 to write history. At 13:40 the mood at mission control was tense but controlled. The rocket was ready to launch, the spectators had their binoculars ready. At 13:45, the rocket motor ignited, and NICOLLIER soared into the sky. After reaching an apogee of 995.6 meters above the ground, the parachute was properly deployed and, as a world-first in student rocketry, guided the entire rocket down to its set landing location. It missed its landing point by only 6.54 meters, which is a bullseye!

Over 100 students worked for four years in different ARIS projects to fly guided recovery. And finally, after thousands of work hours, 18 helicopter drop tests and three rocket launches, the rocket NICOLLIER was lying there, ready to be picked up, next to the access road.

Building a bridge to future teams to build upon, the NICOLLIER members conducted a detailed data and error analysis. Alongside this, they finalized comprehensive technical documentation to record every decision, design, code, and result, ensuring a solid foundation for continued progress in the years ahead.

“After more than a year of relentless effort from every team member, we successfully set a new standard for rocket recovery in student rocketry. As pioneers in this field, we aim to inspire others by proving that reusability and sustainability are not only achievable in student rocketry but also bring significant advantages”, says Felix Hattwig, Project Manager at NICOLLIER.