WAU ROCKETRY TEAM ACHIEVES NOMINAL FLIGHT AND TOP 50 FINISH AT IREC 2026

MIDLAND, TEXAS, 20 July 2026 - The WAU Rocketry Team successfully represented Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) on the international stage, securing 44th place among 80 participating teams at the 2026 Intercollegiate Rocket Engineering Competition (IREC) held in Midland, Texas.

The highlight of the team's mission was achieving a 100 per cent nominal flight profile. From ignition, the rocket completed a smooth ascent, followed by the successful deployment of both the drogue and main parachutes.

The vehicle subsequently returned safely to the ground with a soft and undamaged landing, meeting the team's original design specifications and safety requirements.

During the flight, the rocket reached an apogee of 8,800 feet, against its target altitude of 10,000 feet.

Although the lower-than-target altitude affected the team's overall technical score, the successful telemetry collection and complete recovery of the launch vehicle provided valuable data that will serve as a baseline for future design optimisation.

Beyond the flight performance, the competition provided the team with valuable hands-on experience in solving real-time engineering challenges.

Prior to launch, the team worked under demanding conditions in the Texas heat, successfully troubleshooting unexpected integration issues during field assembly and final launch-pad preparations.

The multidisciplinary team comprised nine students, namely Vymarleena Avriel Pathma Raja, Aditteya A/L Kuppusamy, Krishna Baniel Renganathan, Muhammad Hafiz Hakimy Bin Gazali, Danish Irfan Bin Saiful Nizam, Aizad Aizal Bin Abdul Aziz from the School of Aerospace Engineering; Saravanan Murugeasan and Lim Wiky from the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering; and Loganraj A/L Sugumaran from the School of Mechanical Engineering.

The team was accompanied by its advisor, Dr. Chang Wei Shyang from the School of Aerospace Engineering.

With the rocket recovered intact, valuable flight data secured and international competition experience gained, the WAU Rocketry Team returns with important insights to further refine its design and performance in preparation for future engineering competitions.

Text and photo: Courtesy of Dr. Chang Wei Shyang