

The Oregon State University High Altitude Liquid Engine team (HALE) is a fully student-run collegiate rocketry team developing liquid bi-propellant rockets with the goal of bringing real aerospace industry experience to college students. Through the years, HALE has seen hundreds of students, with the majority now in professional aerospace careers.
After HALE's founding in 2018, students designed a rocket engine testing stand and developed Oregon's first liquid rocket engine, Mira 1. Using the knowledge gained from three successful tests of this engine, HALE students began the design and development in 2022 of our second engine, Mira 2. This past year, our team successfully conducted two static fire tests of our engine, validating our new lighter and more powerful design.
HALE is now focused on completing Cetus, our 22-foot rocket, and our Vertical Test and Launch Stand (VTLS)—a 30-foot trailer designed to safely launch Cetus. The VTLS includes a 60-foot launch rail and remote fueling systems to ensure the safety of the team.
One of our members would always say that HALE's purpose was to build rocket scientists, not just rockets. HALE has seen hundreds of members join with little to no prior aerospace experience and leave with invaluable knowledge and industry-level experience. These students have brought HALE to where it is today, closer than it has ever been to making history by launching Oregon's first liquid rocket.
Mira 2 Hotfire 1
On December 16th, the HALE team successfully conducted a static fire test of the Mira 2 engine, the most powerful liquid-fueled rocket engine ever built in Oregon.
Mira 2 Hotfire 2
On February 28th, the HALE team successfully conducted the second static fire test of the Mira 2 engine. Following the first static fire of Mira 2 in December, the team implemented several key improvements in preparation for this attempt. Major updates include:
- Test stand upgrades, featuring enhanced sensor data collection and valve improvements.
- Integration of the new flight nozzle for more flight-representative performance.
- Refined standard operating procedures to streamline testing and improve safety.
Mira 2 produced 1681 pounds of thrust and validated the flight nozzle and its performance.
Our Engines
Mira 1


The HALE team initially learned the finer details of handling liquid rocket engines through our first engine, Mira 1. This design is a pressure fed, Jet-A kerosene and liquid oxygen fueled engine with a pintle injector and ablative cooling. This engine had a peak thrust of 1,300 lbf and was Oregon's most powerful and first liquid rocket engine.
Mira 2


Mira 2, our second design, progresses on all lessons learned from Mira 1, and incorporates new technology. With a design thrust of 2,000 lbf, Mira 2 focuses on ease of manufacturing, assembly, and thermal longevity in a flight-weight design. On December 16th, Mira 2 was successfully static fired for the first time on HALE's horizontal test stand, Stellaris, with a thrust of 1,350 lbf. This test was conducted without the flight nozzle containing only a stub nozzle with no diverging section. Mira 2's second static fire was conducted on February 28th, further validating our design, flight nozzle, and test stand, producing 1681 pounds of thrust.
Cetus

Cetus is our sub scale launch vehicle designed as a test bed for our full scale vehicle and plans to launch this spring. Cetus has full automation and repeatability, capable of launch multiple times a day. At 21 feet tall, Cetus is Oregon's largest rocket and has a target apogee of 37,000 ft.
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Join Mailing ListSubteams
HALE consists of six specialized subteams: Propulsion, Aero and Recovery, Structures, Fluids, Avionics, and Vertical Test Stand. Each subteam specializes on a distinct aspect of our subscale rocket, Cetus. While each group has its own area of expertise, all subteams collaborate closely and contribute towards the success of our team.
Propulsion
The Propulsion team is in charge of the design, development, and testing of our liquid rocket engine Mira 2, along with all the fluid systems on Cetus. This team focuses on fluid design with cryogenic valves, tanks, and tubing, as well as our nitrogen pressurant system.
Structures and Recovery

Structures & Recovery is responsible for the design, manufacturing, testing, and implementation of the subscale flight vehicle recovery separation mechanism, avionics bay, parachutes, nose cone, fins, airframe, structure, and sub-subscale test-flights. The development of the sub-subscale test rocket is a joint effort between the S&R and Avionics subteams. All of these crucial components ensure the rocket's smooth and stable ascent toward apogee and its controlled descent upon reaching the target altitude.
Avionics
The HALE Avionics sub-team is in charge of the electronics and software used to operate the flight vehicle and vertical test stand. The Avionics team creates PCBs used for prototyping and final products, manages rocket to ground communication, and is in charge of recording and transmitting all sensor data during flight. Most importantly, this team controls the deployment of the two parachutes that make up our recovery system. CETUS will fly with over 10 custom made PCBs made by the avionics subteam.

Test and Launch

The Test and Launch subteam is responsible for the design, manufacturing, and operation of HALE's mobile testing and launch platform capable of supporting both the subscale MIRA 2 flight vehicle and the eventual full scale flight vehicle. This test stand will is capable of remotely fuelling and emptying the flight vehicle, holding the flight vehicle securely for vertical static testing, and functioning as a mobile launch platform. This subteam is responsible for all fluid systems on the test and launch trailer, physical structures (supports, launch rail, etc.), the electronics for reading sensors and controlling valves, the software capable of interpreting, storing, and displaying data, and all launch and testing operations.