SULRE (Southampton University Liquid Rocket Engine) is a branch of SUSF, where students are dedicated to developing liquid rocket engines.
Founded in September 2022, SULRE has developed a series of liquid bipropellant engines, with the aim of attending “Race 2 Space”, a UK national competition where student teams test their most recent advancements in chemical rocket propulsion innovation.
SULRE’s first engine, named Scorpio-I, had a thrust of 1.5kN, used an ablatively cooled combustion chamber and nozzle with a graphite throat, and ran using pressure-fed IPA/NOX. Scorpio-I fired for 10 seconds at Race 2 Space in 2023, setting the longest hot-fire length of a liquid rocket by a UK team and winning the overall competition.
SULRE’s most recent engine, Sverd, is our first IPA/LOX engine and the most advanced motor we have designed to date. It has an additively-manufactured aluminium alloy combustion chamber cooled with regenerative and film cooling. Sverd hot-fired at Race 2 Space in 2025, producing 3kN of thrust.
A successor to Sverd is in development to power the propulsive lander being developed by the new Starworks project.
also in development is Comet I, our liquid rocket project, is a IPA/NOX rocket powered by the 2.5kN Scorpio III flight engine. We aim to fly Comet I in the 2025/26 period.
SULRE’s Scorpio I motor in testing at Race 2 Space 2023
The SULRE team, July 2023, celebrating their win at Race 2 Space
The SULRE team, circa October 2023
