Be-Rocket builds Belgian space exploration

After a successful launch in October, the inter-university space team Be-Rocket is working on Bossart-II. This rocket is expected to reach three kilometers in altitude. With this, Be-Rocket aims to participate in the EurRoC competition, a European rocket competition for students. Professor of aerospace engineering Aurélie Bellemans is the VUB project coordinator. Industrial engineering student Bram Samyn is one of the team leaders. “We have a comprehensive safety protocol, and we are monitored by the staff of the Royal Military Academy.”

How did Be-Rocket come about?

Aurélie: "The initiative came from a few students. In February 2023, they approached my colleague Professor Tim De Troyer and me with the question of building a rocket. We immediately liked the idea, but we didn’t feel ready to take it on by ourselves. Coincidentally, around that time, I had a colleague from KU Leuven on the phone. He had also received the same request from a student. So we decided to do it together. Later, ULB and the Royal Military Academy got involved, and now students from Mons, Bruges, and Liège are also participating."

Bram: "I, along with Guus Vander Beken and Niels Baele, was one of the initiators. For our bachelor’s thesis, we had already worked on something related to space exploration, and when we heard about the EuRoC competition, we decided to check if it was possible to do it here too. It turned out it was, and a year and a half later, we launched our first rocket."

That first test rocket, Bossart-I, went one and a half kilometers high. How impressive is it to achieve that in such a short time?

Aurélie: "I think it's a huge accomplishment. Without the inter-university collaboration, it would have never been possible. The launch platform was built at the VUB. With the FabLab, where students can build prototypes, we have the right know-how for that. At ULB, they were working on the propulsion, or the engine of the rocket, and in Leuven, the safety calculations were being done. By bringing that knowledge together, it all went very quickly. We also immediately received support from the Belgian space industry, so we suddenly had enough capital."

Aurélie, you're specialized in plasma physics, and Bram, you're doing a master's in aerospace technology. How does this fit into your (future) careers?

Aurélie: "My research is about plasmas in the context of space exploration. 99% of the universe is made up of plasma. When a rocket re-enters the Earth's atmosphere, the temperature of the plasma can rise to 10,000 degrees. I study how this plasma flows around a rocket to determine how thick the heat shield should be. For the Be-Rocket rocket, this is obviously not applicable, as it doesn’t go that high or that fast."

"I get motion sickness, so I don't think I’d be a good astronaut"

Bram: "During high school, I participated in the entrance exams for Aerospace Engineering at the Technical University of Delft, the space exploration program in our region. But I didn’t make the cut. As an alternative, I decided to pursue my dream in Belgium through a professional bachelor’s in aerospace technology at VIVES, followed by a master’s in industrial engineering at the VUB. From day one, I started taking aerospace courses. Meanwhile, Be-Rocket provides the necessary space experience. It remains my goal to do something with that."

Aurélie: "I also studied at VUB, and that’s how I got into space exploration. For example, I’ve worked a lot with NASA, including on the heat shields for the Artemis missions. So it’s definitely possible. At VUB, we specialize primarily in aviation, but whether you want to make an airplane or a rocket fly, the basics are the same."

Bram: "The propulsion, the drive of a rocket, is my main interest. I don't have the ambition to ever go to space myself, but I do want to help others, as well as satellites, etc., get there."

Aurélie: "I did apply when the European Space Agency was looking for new astronauts a few years ago. That was more to see how such a selection process worked than because I had serious ambitions. I get motion sickness, so I don't think I’d be a good astronaut. (laughs)"

What is the value of participating in a project like Be-Rocket alongside your studies?

Bram: "The program is a good foundation, but in the meantime, I’ve gained much more in-depth knowledge of space exploration. There are 33 of us on the team. Each of us has specialized in one aspect: from electronic instruments to material choices. It’s nice to be able to specialize in something. But I’ve also learned a lot from the collaboration itself. Even though we work with students from six different universities, the communication flows very smoothly. We really function as a team and are on the same page. It helps, of course, that we share a great passion for space exploration. When there’s a Starship launch, we have a Watch Party via Discord. Thanks to that shared interest, friendships have definitely formed."

"To gain more launch experience, we’ll also launch CanSats, small satellites in the shape of a soda can"

Aurélie: "The motivation is obviously very high. I can tell that the team members invest a lot of time. Sometimes I get photos from students over the weekend of rockets they've made in their garage. That's really great!"

For the EuRoC competition, the Bossart-II rocket is currently being built. It needs to reach three kilometers in altitude. How challenging is this next step?

Aurélie: "Bossart-II is a multi-year project. It took a year to work on Bossart-I. This time, just the design phase will take a year, and the production will take another year. Some team members are graduating, and new students are joining. Ensuring continuity will be a challenge."

Bram: "It will also be difficult to qualify for EuRoC. For every aspect, we need to present calculations and tests. It’s possible we’ll have to go back to the drawing board a few times. In the meantime, to gain more launch experience, we’ll also launch CanSats, small satellites in the shape of a soda can. We’re also working on a water rocket, which should help us test certain aspects of a launch in practice."

Aurélie: "Safety is important in all projects, but especially this time. When you’re working with engines, accidents are a no-go. We have a detailed safety protocol and are monitored by the staff at the military academy. Tests with engines will always take place at the military site in Beauvechain. We don’t do that in our lab."

Can interested students still apply to join?

Aurélie: "Absolutely. Some are working on a bachelor’s or master’s thesis related to Be-Rocket, but we also have many volunteers. That can start from the first year of bachelor’s. You don’t have to do engineering studies for that. There are many ways to get involved: a computer scientist can build an app to track the rocket, a communication student could do the PR."

Bram: "On Instagram (@be_rocket_), you can find our contact details. If someone is interested, we do a short interview. What we expect is not necessarily a lot of technical knowledge, but motivation and interest."

Bram, you’re graduating this year. You won’t get to experience the competition?

Bram: "Probably not, although I hope to stay involved from the sidelines. But it’s a student team, after all. It’s part of the project that you’re involved for a while, and then it’s up to the next generation to carry it on. Fortunately, I can still be part of Bossart-II this year."

Aurélie: "It would be a shame if you can’t participate in the competition. We’ll figure something out."

"I don't have the ambition to ever go to space myself"