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Student Space Technology Assn.

@ssta_utk

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A student-run R&D lab at the forefront of collegiate space engineering 💫
📍University of Tennessee, Knoxville

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The next generation of aerospace isn’t waiting—it’s already building, testing and flying. 🚀

AVCO is proud to begin working with the talented students of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and its Student Space Technology Association.

Last spring, the team completed six test fires of Big Liquid in just a month and a half before taking their 22-foot liquid rocket to FAR.

And their work goes well beyond rocketry. UTK students also designed and built a lunar robot to excavate and transport lunar regolith, then took it to Kennedy Space Center for NASA’s Lunabotics Challenge.

Real students. Real engineering. Real hardware.

It is an honor to support these bright young engineers as they continue building, testing and pushing their program forward.

Per Aspera Ad Astra. 🚀

#UTK #LiquidRocketry #StudentRocketry #Lunabotics #AVCO

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I wanted to announce that I was recently accepted to be apart of the UTK Student Space Technology Association (SSTA) as apart of their Hypersonics Competition team!

SSTA Info:

A student run R&D lab at the forefront of collegiate space engineering.

2025 Tachyon Competition Victory
Competition Result: SSTA's undergraduate hypersonics team won the 2025 Undergraduate Hypersonic Flight Design Competition with Tachyon.

Support Secured: The win earned fabrication support through the Joint Hypersonics Transition Office and UCAH.

Program Growth: Over five months, the team established the hypersonics division and built a complete test plan for the 48-inch CUBRC LENS tunnel.

2026 Next Vehicle Development

Vehicle Goal: The team is developing a hypersonic glide vehicle targeting Mach 8 for the 2026 Undergraduate Hypersonic Flight Design Competition.

Design Focus: The effort balances range performance and manufacturability.

Core Workstreams: CAD architecture, thermomechanical engineering, aerodynamics, and guidance/navigation/control simulation..

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Getting ever closer to a complete car.

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This week we competed at UCF for the 2026 NASA Lunabotics Challenge. We were very happy with the rover’s performance and were able to mine and deposit regolith autonomously. We also left a “GO VOLS!” on the (simulated) moon surface!

Tomorrow we head to Kennedy Space Center!

#lunabotics #nasa #lunabotics2026

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Yesterday, our team met at the volleyball courts to do our first tests of this year’s rover. It performed very well and we’re excited to compete at the Lunabotics competition in May!

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On March 26th, our chapter went to the AIAA 2026 Region II Student Conference! This year included 7 different teams; each team presented their submission to the rest of the region. Our chapter placed 2nd for Outstanding Branch Activity, where we discussed how our outreach is helping inspire the next generation about aerospace. For our Freshman/Sophomore Open Topic category, Alyssa Bice placed 3rd overall with her presentation on challenges and solutions in the field of Aerospace Medicine.

We also placed 2nd for the giving campaign.

Our other presenters include Carson Wadell, Natalie Victory, Matt Stewart, and Ryan Finn. From UTSI was Jalen Johnson and Seth Pickman.

Another thanks to our presenters from @ssta_utk, including Issac Smith, Jackson Dendy, Aaron Matheny, Grace Craft, Jack Hayes, Jacob Ramsey, and Alexander Berthelot.

Congratulations to everyone who presented!

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The Spring Issue of CONSTELLATION is here! Check out these articles written by these phenomenal students! We cover the topics from orbital debris to galaxy formation research.
🌟🌟
Head to our website to access the magazine, or email us at “sps@ussfa.org”
🌟🌟
If you are interested in being a part of the Summer issue, contact SPS through our website.

#spaceprofessionalsociety #spaceforce #college

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Caroline Czarnecki from Student Space Technology Association (SSTA) trained on and used our welding equipment to make centerpieces for their conference with keynote speakers!

We cut out the design on our Laguna Fiber Laser, welded the pieces together, and finished it off with the sandblaster.

@ssta_utk

#zeanahengineeringcomplex #utk_ics #volsmakerspace #innovationthatexcites #engineeringvols

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University of Tennessee students are closing the gaps in a widespread space industry.

Two hundred and fifty students from more than 25 schools across the nation gathered right in Knoxville, Tennessee, during the weekend of Feb. 28 to discuss bringing the frontier of space closer to the grasp of aerospace undergraduates.

Read the full story ➡️ link in bio

✍️ @patbusch05
📸 Courtesy of Cole Kieling

#utk #thedailybeacon #spaceengineering #engineering #spacerace #conference #engineeringstudent #knoxville

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The first annual Student Space Technology Conference was a huge success! Can’t beat a day in Knoxville, or a night in the Sun Sphere! I got to present my propulsion research, host a platform for universities to share ideas, and rub shoulders with some of the biggest names in space!

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@blackwingspace was proud to be part of the inaugural @ssta_utk Student Space Technology Association Conference in Knoxville.

It was great to spend time with student teams, faculty, and industry partners who are actively building the next generation of space systems. The quality of the projects, the level of engagement, and the seriousness of the discussions stood out - kudos to @zachmarano_, Caroline Czarnecki, and team.

Events like this are an important part of strengthening the emerging Southern Space Corridor.

Post on LinkedIn: https://zip2.it/day1

#SSTA #Knoxville #TN #SouthernSpaceCorridor #Blackwing

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It was an honor to have our leadership attend the University of Tennessee’s inaugural Student Space Technology Conference hosted by @ssta_utk. Congratulations to SSTA on their well-earned victory in this year’s UCAH Hypersonic Vehicle Competition, and a special thank you to SSTA leaders Zach Moreno, Jackson Dendy, and Caroline Czarnecki for inviting our team and organizing such an outstanding event. Also, a huge thank you to Dr. Schmisseur for putting us in contact with SSTA and we look forward to hearing you present at our next meeting!

SSTC brought together students, academic professors, and industry professionals for two days of keynotes, technical panels, employer networking, and project showcases centered on the future of space technology. It was an incredible opportunity to connect with experts across disciplines — including hypersonics — and to meet inspiring student leaders from universities nationwide who are driving forward some truly impressive and innovative projects.

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