Welcome

Project Sunride is the University of Sheffield’s student-led rocket team. The team holds the UK altitude record at 36,274 feet. The team launched 7 rockets in 2022/23, including Karman Alpha in the Mojave Desert, California. The Sunfire engine was the first 3D printed and the most powerful student-built liquid rocket engine at the UK Race to Space competition.

2023/24

           2022/23

OUR STORY

2018

The first team that represented the UK at Spaceport America Cup, the largest intercollegiate competition in the world!

Awarded the James Barrowman Award for Best Flight Dynamics at Spaceport America Cup 2018 with an accuracy of 99.83% at 10,000 ft range!

2019

Broke the 19-year standing UK National Open Altitude Record reaching Mach 2.67 at 36,274 ft!

2020

Began bi-liquid rocket engine propulsion research with the SunFire Engine Series.

Founded the first Sunride rocketry training programme. 

2021

Won 1st place at the National Rocketry Championship with a record altitude of 4,836 ft!

2022

Won 2nd and 3rd place at the UKSEDS Orbex National Rocketry Championship on the 12th of June 2022.

The rocketry training program is led by the SSI Society, and counts over 200 registrations across 5 universities.

Seven team submissions to the UKSEDS National Rocketry Championship 2023!

2023

Beginning of Test Rocket Series with five successful test launches!

First launch of a two-stage rocket, Test Rocket 2.

Karman Alpha two-stage rocket launches to 22,000 ft in the United States.

SunFire is the 1st 3D-printed regeneratively cooled engine built by UK students. 

SunFire sets the bar for the highest thrust UK university bi-prop liquid engine.

Sustained 3.4 kN and 5 seconds of fire.