Purdue Space Program wins Collegiate Propulsive Lander Challenge
Elementum 3D’s long journey with fifty undergraduate students in the Purdue Space Program-Active Controls (PSP-AC) team has culminated with tremendous success. The PSP-AC team was one of only three teams worldwide to win the $15,000 engine throttling prize from the Collegiate Propulsive Lander Challenge (CPLC).
The Challenge’s objective was to have student teams create self-landing rockets to advance vertical take-off and vertical-landing (VTVL) technology. PSP-AC’s winning answer to the challenge was their innovative TADPOLE propulsion system.
In late 2023, PSP-AC chose Elementum 3D to additive manufacture the A6061-RAM2 aluminum TADPOLE combustion chamber, cooling circuit, and nozzle in a single component using Laser Beam Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB). Elementum 3D’s advanced RAM technology was critical to making their TADPLOE throttle campaign a reality. The use of A6061-RAM2 material provided the proper yielding characteristics required for the combustion chamber’s operating conditions while extending its lifespan. Furthermore, the PSP-AC team benefited from Elementum 3D’s aluminum alloy because it does not have the drawbacks that were found with other AM aluminum powders.
“Working with the student team at Purdue has been a great, they took design feedback well, incorporated our suggestions and ultimately designed a combustion chamber with award winning performance. We look forward to continuing relationships as they strive to advance space exploration technology,” said Ryan Morningstar, Elementum 3D account manager.
Beyond the CPLC win, the PSP-AC team now holds the record for the longest hot fire in Purdue Space Program history — 20 seconds and are the first student team at Purdue University to throttle a bipropellant liquid rocket engine. Moving forward, the team is planning to procure 1-2 similar chamber prints out of either GRCop-42 or Inconel 625. This would be a fully regeneratively-cooled chamber that would fly on their TOAD rocket lander vehicle, which would be the first collegiate rocket-powered lander.
Elementum 3D ICAM 2025 presentation schedule
You are cordially invited to attend the three scheduled Elementum 3D presentations at ICAM 2025 in Las Vegas, October 6-10.
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