On 14th March, a team of CUSF engineers launched a high-altitude balloon into the upper atmosphere, carrying a camera and a cloud-classification payload.
After lifting off from the grounds of @churchillcol , the balloon was successfully recovered in Canterbury. This marks CUSF’s first HAB launch in several years and the first to be carried out fully independently.
The camera on the balloon recorded some incredible footage of the sunsetting in the upper atmosphere - more footage to follow.
More missions are already in the works, with exciting new payloads being developed by students and our partners.
Curious about the universe and the careers that shape its future?
Join us on a virtual talk, followed by a Q&A with Dr Oliver Zahn, an expert in Cosmology, Astrophysics and Mapped Dark Matter on Wednesday, 18th February 2026 at 5pm! Scan the QR code to register!
Struggling with acquiring internships or don’t know where to start?
Join our internship Q&A with students who have been there, across a plethora of industries, and get advice on applications, interviews and the internship experience in the Engineering field!
đź“Ť Engineering Department LT1
⏰ 2nd February 2026, 1pm
🍕 Food will be provided!
The event is open to both CUSF and non-CUSF students - everyone’s welcome!
Scan the QR code to RSVP now!
To wrap up Michaelmas term, our Rocketry freshers completed the final stage of their introductory model rocket project with a set of successful launches! Every team achieved stable flight trajectories and gathered valuable performance data using PCBs designed and soldered by our Electronics freshers. We’re extremely impressed by the commitment and teamwork displayed throughout the project and we’re looking forward to involving them in more large-scale projects in Lent term. We’re also excited to see our Propulsion and High-Altitude Balloons freshers test their introductory projects early next term!
We’ll be back with our first society meeting of Lent term on 25th January in the Engineering Department (LT1) and we’re looking forward to welcoming both new and returning members!
On 26th October, CUSF had the pleasure of hosting a range of leading aerospace companies and organisations at this year’s Ideathon!
From our collaborators at Supersharp to the University’s own Whittle Laboratory, over 70 of our members had the opportunity to connect with companies shaping our industry today. Presenters shared insights about their organisations and discussed technical challenges, sparking enriching conversations with students and potential projects for CUSF to explore.
We would like to thank all presenters for taking the time to join us at the Engineering Department, and everyone who attended and contributed to this inspiring event!
Companies who attended:
- Space East
- IQ Capital
- Cambridge FutureTech
- Cambridge Enterprise and Ventures
- Supersharp
- Whittle Laboratory
- Lockheed Martin
- Cambridge Aerospace
We’re excited to announce our new collaboration with the Whittle Lab! In conjunction with the opening of the renovated Whittle Lab last Monday, we will be moving some of our society’s manufacturing and assembly to the new site in West Cambridge starting Lent term. This marks an exciting step forward for our society as we continue to grow and collaborate!
Thank you to everyone who showed up to the Fresher’s Fair over the past 2 days! We were thrilled to meet everyone. To kick off this academic year, we will be conducting an introductory session for freshers and other students who are interested to come down and learn about CUSF and how you can be involved. We hope to see you all there!
đź“… 12th October 2025, 11am
đź“Ť Engineering Department, Lecture Theatre 1
Congratulations to everyone who has begun their journey at Cambridge University! We hope Bridging Week is going spectacularly for all of you. Come join us at Cambridge’s Fresher’s Fair to find out how you can be a part of CUSF! 🚀
📆 7th & 8th October 2025 (9am - 4pm)
📍 Parker’s Piece, Cambridge
A huge congratulations to everyone who received their A level results! To those joining us at Cambridge, we can’t wait to welcome you! 🚀
If you’re interested in becoming part of our society, check out our other posts, click the link in our bio to register your interest, and make sure to find us at the Fresher’s Fair this October!
#rocketry #engineering #cambridge #aerospace #alevels #freshers #aerospaceengineering #space
Last Wednesday, we successfully conducted a hot fire test of Vega, UK’s first two-pass regeneratively cooled engine, at the National Space Propulsion Test Facility!
We’re excited to share that Vega delivered a thrust of 1.2 kN for 7 seconds — a major milestone in our development journey. With further data analysis underway, our team is already working towards increasing that thrust to 1.5 kN for future tests. This engine is a critical component of our upcoming Lyra rocket launch, CUSF’s first liquid-fueled rocket, and this achievement brings us a step closer to making that mission a reality.
A huge thank you to the Propulsion and Electronics teams for their incredible dedication over the past few weeks to ensure a successful hot firing and we are excited to have achieved this success.
Stay tuned for more exciting updates about our upcoming projects!
đź“· @luca_hongyan
#cambridgeuniversity #engineering #aerospaceengineering #rocketry #autodesk #ttp #rockets
Last Sunday, CUSF had the pleasure of hosting Arthur Chadwick, a PhD student at Cornell University working on space systems architecture. Before starting his PhD, Arthur was an aerospace engineer at Northrop Grumman, working on a project for NASA’s Lunar Space Station Program.
He shared valuable insights into working in the US space industry, life after graduation and the wide range of research and career paths in aerospace. It was engaging and inspiring session and we’re grateful to Arthur for taking the time to speak with us!
#engineering #space #cornelluniversity
Introducing the CUSF Committee for 2025/26! 🎉
A huge thank you to our 2024/25 team for their dedication and hardwork in upgrading CUSF to the next level of space exploration. We look forward to an exciting year ahead with our new committee, ready to lead CUSF to even greater success!
