Polaris I

Polaris I was LRA’s two-stage rocket for the 2020 - 2021 school year. It stands 11 feet 6 inches tall and weighs 30 pounds fully loaded. It was launched at Hearne Municipal Airport and reached an altitude of 5,782 ft. The rocket flew on a Cesaroni K1440 and I303 and used Altus Metrum Telemega flight computers for staging, parachute deployment, and GPS tracking.

Polaris II

Polaris II was LRA’s entry for the 2021 - 2022 Spaceport America Cup. Polaris II was largely based on Polaris I but was re-designed in order to target a 30,000-foot apogee and carry a scientific payload. At 17 feet 3 inches in height and 130 lbs fully loaded, Polaris II is the largest rocket Longhorn Rocketry has built. It was test-launched in Seymour, Texas in May 2022. The second stage did not light due to an issue with the igniter, but the rocket reached an altitude of 14,000 ft on a Cesaroni N5800 and L1395. At Spaceport America, the rocket was launched again, this time to an altitude of 6,800 ft on an N5800 and M1800. Both flights used Altus Metrum Telemega flight computers for staging, parachute deployment, and GPS tracking. LRA has performed analysis on the Spaceport flight to understand the flight dynamics during the launch and will be improving upon Polaris II to enter the 2023 Spaceport America 30K COTS competition.

Polaris II launch at the 2022 Spaceport America Cup. The rocket did not stage but was successfully recovered and will be re-flown.

Polaris III

The third generation of Polaris is currently under construction. It will feature redesigns of its fincans and an updated sustainer section, along with a new scientific payload for the 2022-23 Spaceport America Cup.