Georgia Tech students build the largest collegiate liquid rocket launch rail in the country.
Team M.O.S.E.S. (Methane-Oxygen Suborbital Experimental System) captured the top aerospace engineering prize at the Capstone Design Expo for Spring 2026 with its launch rail and conceptual rocket, M.O.S.E.S. The AE School had a record-breaking 24 teams competing this year, more than ever before. The Capstone Expo featured 237 teams from 12 schools, with a total of $18,500 in prize money awarded.
Team M.O.S.E.S. members include: Raey Ayalew, Jason Abston, Jonathon Barringer, Dakota Basista, Anushka Dharmasanam, Daniel Elliott, Jonah Isaza, William Putaansuu, and Drew Wilson. Professor Christopher Carr served as the faculty advisor for the team. All of the team members are also members of the Yellow Jacket Space Program (YJSP), Georgia Tech’s liquid rocketry team.
Their senior design project had two main components. The first was designing the M.O.S.E.S. vehicle using a methalox rocket architecture. This rocket was developed to compete in the Friends of Amateur Rocketry Inc. (FAR) Mars competition, a collegiate challenge in which teams design and launch methane‑and oxygen‑fueled rockets to an altitude of 45,000 feet.
“Within the senior design project, my focus was on the ground systems. I designed the fluid systems for the M.O.S.E.S. vehicle, specifically how liquid oxygen and methane are delivered safely to the rocket, and I also led the design of the launch rail. That work was a joint effort between the M.O.S.E.S. team and YJSP, which provided leadership, sponsorship support, and the broader launch context,” Wilson said.
“Design of the vehicle itself required technical work across disciplines. Ayalew and his team focused on avionics, Basista worked on the propellant feed systems, and Abston and Elliott led engine development. Other team members contributed across structures, flight dynamics, and thermal analysis,” Barringer said.
M.O.S.E.S. Team with Stairway to Heaven Launch Rail
The second component was the design and build of their own launch rail which they named, Stairway to Heaven. Usually, rocketry teams have to rent out a launch site and launch rail for a weekend which can cost as much as $7,000. YJSP has had to rent launch rails in the past. Team M.O.S.E.S. decided to build their own launch rail to make their rocket launches more cost effective.
The launch rail is a portable, modular asset that can be set up almost anywhere and carefully aligned using built‑in mechanical and laser systems. It can be packed flat, transported easily, and adjusted on-site without major disassembly. The structure was engineered to withstand strong winds of up to 35 mph.
“This launch rail is essentially the gold standard for non‑government launch platforms in the United States. At 63.5 feet tall, it’s the maximum height available for liquid‑fueled rockets and is critical for safety and stability. Liquid rockets need more time to accelerate than solid rockets, so the rail allows the vehicle to reach a stable speed before it leaves the ground. Once it clears the rail, aerodynamic forces and fins take over,” Wilson said.
They designed the system to match the tallest launch infrastructure available to collegiate liquid rocket teams nationwide. By standardizing a 60‑foot launch rail, the same height used for previous YJSP and M.O.S.E.S. vehicles, they can continue advancing rocket designs without needing to redesign launch infrastructure.
“We took the system from early manufacturing reviews all the way through testing and qualifications,” Wilson said. “In the end, we built the largest collegiate liquid rocket launch rail in the country, giving Georgia Tech a unique, student‑run capability to launch liquid rockets using our own custom infrastructure.”
“Stairway to Heaven was designed, built, and tested for about $8,000. That means after just one launch, we essentially break even, and after two, it really speaks for itself,” said Wilson. “More than that, it’s a powerful piece of hardware to have. It gives Georgia Tech rocket teams, especially those on YJSP, the freedom to control when and where we launch, which is huge for our ability to grow and succeed.”
M.O.S.E.S Team putting up Stairway to Heaven
M.O.S.E.S Team working on launch rail
The biggest challenges for the team were time and funding. The team completed manufacturing and full structural testing of the launch rail in just six weeks, building the system itself in about two and a half weeks. This required long hours, nonstop work, and strong support from the AE School’s Machine Shop staff.
“Thank you to Brad, Rusty, and Scott in the Machine Shop for all of their support. They were amazing,” Wilson included.
Financing was also a major hurdle. While the entire system would normally cost $50,000–$60,000, the team reduced their total cost to under $8,000 by securing significant industry sponsorships (Thern, Infra-Metals, Fehr Bros. CYNTECH, FT Technologies, Birmingham Fastener, Genius Tools, and Hartfiel Automation), making the project possible within their constraints.
A few weeks ago, YJSP launched the Vespula rocket to 56,590' feet, setting a world record for an amateur liquid rocket. Next month, they plan to take the launch rail to the Black Rock Desert in Nevada for its debut and attempt a launch of the Felicette rocket to 115,000 feet, aiming to break their own record once again.
Launch rail at night.
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