UBC students compete for best SpaceX landing-pad design

Event: Ship-based rocket landing-pad design competition

Date/Time: Wednesday April 18, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Location: Fred Kaiser Building (map), Room 1180, 2332 Main Mall, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C. V6T 1Z4

Parking: Health Sciences Parkade (map), 2250 Health Sciences Mall, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C. V6T 1Z3

Event details: 

UBC students will demonstrate SpaceX-style, remote-controlled landing pads they designed for their second-year mechanical engineering course. Twenty teams will win points based on how well they can transport a rocket booster safely back to shore, navigating around obstacles and through high waves. A 60-foot pool has been constructed specifically for the competition.

SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket landings aim to move the world toward a reusable rocket system, which could dramatically reduce the costs of space transport. “Design competitions modelled on current challenges, like the SpaceX spaceport ships, can help prepare future engineers for real-life design ventures,” says instructor Agnes d’Entremont.

Images: SpaceX design competition

Note to media: Instructor Agnes d’Entremont and students are available for interviews.