Structures

Fabrication

Structural Design & Analysis

The Cradle of Our Rockets

The Spaceshot Structures team is responsible for the design, manufacturing, and integration of ISS’s high-performance flight vehicles, as well as the simulation and testing of each rocket’s flight trajectory, structural integrity, and dynamic behavior. The team is divided into two subteams: Structural Design and Analysis (SDA) and Fabrication. Through the work of both of these subteams, Structures encapsulates the full essence of “rocket science”, exploring developments in both the theoretical and the practical.

Building a space-bound rocket is no easy feat, but our team requires NO previous experience — we will teach you everything you need to know! Members in the SDA team will learn how to utilize a variety of industry-standard simulation and modeling software, including Siemens NX and ANSYS, in addition to several rocketry-specific simulation engines such as OpenRocket and RASAero, and tools we develop in-house. The Fabrication team exposes members to composites manufacturing, including work with carbon fiber and fiberglass layups, CNC machining, and additive manufacturing.

Most importantly, the Structures team teaches you many key concepts, techniques, and terminology used in the aerospace industry, all while working on a team of your peers at UIUC. For more information, please view the Structures ISS wiki page and send a message to Structures Lead Mihir Shevade via email (shevade3@illinois.edu) or Slack!

IT ALL STARTS WITH AN IDEA.

The Structural Design & Analysis (SDA) subteam is responsible for setting our vehicle flight profile, including leading discussions on vehicle development and limitations, as well as performing trade studies, vehicle optimizations, and aerodynamic analysis.

SDA envelops many of the traditional ideas of “rocket science”, and works with every team throughout the design and integration process to ensure a healthy flight.

Learn More about SDA >>

Then, We make it reality.

The Fabrication (Fab) subteam is our most “hands on” team with each and every one of our flight vehicles. Using industry standard materials and practices, we bring an idea from paper to reality.

Every team relies on the launch vehicle, so from pouring fillets to putting in final fasteners on the launch pad, we work to ensure a smooth launch not just for us, but the countless others who pour their hard work into this project.

Learn More about FABRICATION >>

Why Join?

Being a part of a team set on a specific goal lets you build ownership in your work and gives you an understanding of the problems encountered by engineers on a day-to-day basis. Not only is it a valuable technical experience, but Spaceshot is a supportive community and has a thriving network of alumni who come back to mentor our members, all accessible with absolutely no prior experience — we’ll teach you everything you need to know.

The Structures team also offers chances to get ahead of the curve in your classes — anything from CAD to fluid dynamics to advanced numerical methods in the UIUC aerospace curriculum are things you will actively learn while on the team. Because while you’re learning how to be an aerospace engineer.