SBU Rocket Team Reaches New Heights at 2026 Battle of the Rockets Competition
This past semester, the Stony Brook University Rocket Team put their engineering skills
to the test at the 2026 Battle of the Rockets™ competition, a hands-on aerospace engineering challenge hosted by the Federation of Galaxy Explorers
(FoGE). The competition challenged students to apply the engineering design process
through complex, real-world projects that inspire innovation in science and engineering
and provided a unique opportunity for members of the SBU team to apply the knowledge
and skills developed throughout their academic careers while completing their senior
design project.
The team designed, built and successfully launched two rockets. Both rockets were named in honor of Professor Foluso Ladeinde, the team's club advisor, whose mentorship and support helped guide the project's success. Reflecting on the tribute, Ladeinde said, "I had no idea the students were going to give the rockets my name, something I found to be quite humbling since I was just doing my job."
The team's first rocket, Lil' Deinde, competed in the Target Altitude Event, where
the goal was to reach an altitude of exactly 801 feet. Lil' Deinde reached 742 feet,
coming remarkably close to the target and demonstrating the team's precision in rocket
design and flight performance.
The team's larger rocket, Ultra-Deinde, competed in the Rover Event, which challenged teams to design an autonomous rover capable of surviving launch, deployment, landing, and completing a mission on simulated Martian terrain. After reaching an altitude of approximately 1,400 feet, Ultra-Deinde successfully deployed its rover. The Stony Brook rover was the only rover at the competition to reach the end of the course and collect a sand sample, a major accomplishment for the team.
For team member Anay Patel, the competition was an unforgettable experience. "At first
when I was approached about joining the rocket team, I was initially hesitant," he
said. "It ended up being the best decision I could have possibly made. There is no
other senior design project I would have rather done than this one." Patel credited
the team's success to months of dedication, adding that "from the late night building
to the last minute shopping runs... our efforts showed results magnitudes more than
what I could have possibly hoped for."
The Battle of the Rockets competition provided the Stony Brook Rocket Team with an opportunity to bring together engineering design, teamwork, and innovation in a challenging hands-on environment. Congratulating the team, Professor Ladeinde said, "These students are the best of the best. Their spectacular accomplishments in the competition confirm that nothing is impossible for extremely talented students who put in all their efforts into a very challenging, literally rocket science, project. I am extremely proud of them."
If you would like to get involved with the Stony Brook Rocket Team, visit the team at the Involvement Fair on September 9th from 12:30 to 2:00 pm in the SAC Ballroom A to learn more about upcoming projects and opportunities. Students can also join the team's Vertically Integrated Projects (VIP) course, which meets this fall on Fridays from 2:00–2:55 p.m. in Light Engineering, Room 152. This year, students in the course will work toward building a flight-ready rocket, expanding beyond the mock challenges of previous years. The course is open to students of all majors and skill levels, making it a great opportunity for anyone interested in aerospace, engineering, or hands-on design experience.