HERMES

RPL’S YEARLY SUGAR PROPELLANT ROCKET

Hermes represents Rocket Propulsion Laboratory’s effort towards developing a reusable solid rocket with a yearly launch cadence. Hermes is propelled by a solid sorbitol fuel mixture that is manufactured in-house.

Participating in the Friends of Amateur Rocketry’s 51025 competition, Hermes aims to reach an altitude of 10,000 feet while carrying a CubeSat payload from UC Davis.

HEIGHT

7.7 ft / 2.35 m

DIAMETER

6 in / 15.24 cm

MAXIMUM SPEED

MACH 2

EXPECTED LAUNCH DATE

Summer 2024

Hermes I’s primary payload is a CubeSat affectionately named Gerald. Developed by UC Davis’s Space and Satellite Club, Gerald is a 2.5 pound microsatellite that sports a low-power avionics system, two retractable solar arrays, and an aluminum frame.Gerald will collect environmental data during its flight.