Following their historic debut in last year’s Spaceport America Cup, the Ateneo de Davao University (AdDU) Rocketry Team is set to compete for the second time in the competition with their new rocket, Siklab.

Composed of 30 engineering students from the university, 13 of them are bound for Midland, Texas, on June 9 to 14 to represent the Philippines in the competition, now renamed as the Intercollegiate Rocket Engineering Competition (IREC).

Following their success in the 10,000 ft. Commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) category, the team has recently qualified to participate in the 30,000 ft. division, triple the previous altitude.

Chair of the Aerospace Engineering Department Dr. Rogel Mari Sese said that while 10,000 ft. is almost the same height as Mount Apo, 30,000 ft. is the cruising altitude of aircrafts, which adds up to a “much higher technical challenge.” 

“If successful, this will be the highest altitude achieved by any Philippine-made rocket,” Sese said.

Siklab is an 11-foot-long rocket capable of carrying a two-kilogram payload, which features an air quality sensor and is equipped with a camera to record the rocket’s flight.

According to Overall Project Lead Avery Clyde Dimasuhid, a rocket’s main purpose is to carry a payload, which refers to equipment used for research or data collection. This year, the team’s payload includes sensors that measure air quality, such as carbon dioxide, oxygen, and humidity levels.

“It’s different from last year because last year we only had a boiler payload. This year, we have a payload that is capable of tracking, logging, air quality, of sensing air quality and humidity. So it has CO2 and O2 and other air quality sensors,” Dimasuhid explained.

In comparison to its predecessor, Sibol, Siklab is also equipped with a more powerful motor, which allows for a slimmer and longer body with less weight to ultimately reach a greater altitude.

According to Assistant Lead Franz Guevara, Siklab is also faster than Sibol as it is made to go beyond the speed of sound.

“Last year, our velocity is around 0.7. Now we are going faster than the speed of sound. 1.7 around that. And our meters per second is 690 meters per second.”

The rocketry team’s continued participation in the IREC, according to Sese, is seen to “pave the way for more participation from the Philippines in international competitions in aerospace engineering,” and to provide a venue to develop space technology in the country. 

AdDU remains the sole Philippine representative in the event and one of only three teams from Southeast Asia this year.

Recognized as the largest student rocketry competition in the world, the IREC draws participation from hundreds of university teams across the United States, Europe, Asia, and other regions.

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For further inquiries, you may reach out to Lilibeth Arcena of the Office of Pathways for Institutional Advancement and Alumni Engagement at [email protected], or contact the AdDU Rocketry Team directly at [email protected].