Akronauts place first in elite multi-stage category at IREC 2025
The Akronauts pose with Resurgence, their 2025 competition rocket, just before launch.
The Akronauts Rocket Design Team made history this summer at the 2025 International Rocket Engineering Competition (IREC), held June 9–14 in Midland, Texas. Facing off against 143 collegiate rocket teams and more than 2,500 students from around the globe, the Akronauts entered the competition’s most advanced challenge: the 45,000-foot multi-stage category.
As one of only four teams to compete in this elite class — and the only one to fly a fully student-researched and designed (SRAD) propulsion system — the Akronauts stood out from the very start. Their rocket, Resurgence, is an 18-foot, two-stage vehicle powered by a custom SRAD propellant dubbed Angry Listerine. The launch also featured several technological firsts, including SRAD composite body tubes and TRACE, the team’s in-house flight computer.
Team members raise Resurgence to a vertical position and arm its electronics in preparation for launch.
A rocket with a story
Resurgence carried more than new engineering — it carried meaning. The vehicle was built on the legacy of 2024’s Project E.R.I.C., which was lost to a commercial motor failure. This year’s design reused E.R.I.C.’s original nose cone, still visibly worn from its previous mission. The successful launch and recovery of Resurgence symbolized the Akronauts’ resilience and their commitment to learning through failure.
Members of the avionics subteam complete final safety checks on the rocket’s electronics.
Successful flight and recovery
On June 13, Resurgence launched nominally, meaning the rocket performed as expected without any major issues or anomalies during ascent. It soared to 34,241 feet above ground level. Both stages were recovered later that same day, marking just the second time in team history a rocket surpassed 30,000 feet and returned safely — an extraordinary technical and logistical accomplishment.
The Akronauts’ first-place trophy stands against the backdrop of the starry Texas night sky.
Bringing home a first-place finish
The team’s hard work paid off during the awards ceremony on June 14. The Akronauts claimed first place in the 45,000-foot multi-stage category — their first first-place finish in team history. They also earned 22nd in Design/Build with a score of 229 out of 240, and placed 55th overall out of 143 teams, earning 744 out of 1,000 total points.
“This was an extraordinary achievement by a student-run team that exemplifies the best of engineering education,” said Dr. Manigandan Kannan, assistant professor of mechanical engineering and faculty advisor to the Akronauts. “I am incredibly proud of their innovation, persistence and teamwork. We’re also deeply grateful to The University of Akron and the College of Engineering and Polymer Science for their continued support in helping our students take their ambitions to new heights.”
The Akronauts celebrate their victory following the awards ceremony.
Looking ahead
This milestone reflects the skill, dedication and grit of the Akronauts team. With Resurgence, they didn’t just launch a rocket — they sent a message of innovation and perseverance that will continue to fuel their missions for years to come.
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Media contact: Cristine Boyd, 330-972-6476 or cboyd@uakron.edu.