Dear reader, this is another Stratos II newsletter. We as a team put out a few newsletter earlier this year to test this way of communication. Now, in the run-up towards the final launch campaign we think that with these newsletter we can give you a nice summary overview of the progress of the project. The most up-to-date information you will always find in the blog posts on our webpage and on our social media channels.

Now that we are counting down the days till the launch of Stratos II the work has very much intensified. During these weeks there are more than twenty people working full-time in the DARE workshops to put the rocket together, to assemble all auxiliary systems, to write the flight computer software, to test the transmitters and to prepare the launch tower.

Next to all this technical work, we are also busy to arrange the

transport, the flight tickets, on-site accommodation for the crew and the launch site facilities.

All in all there is a lot of work that still needs to be done, but we have a great crew at work to finish all these tasks in time.

In this newsletter you will find more information on the recent events from DARE and the project: The start of the new academic year in Delft; The engine tests of the hybrid engine at Trauen, Germany; And finally an introduction to one of our sponsors: Flowtraders.

Rob Hermsen, Team manager Project Stratos II

REACHING BEYOND

PROJECTSTRATOS.NL

50 KM

Delft Aerospace Rocket Engineering, the Stratos II newsletter August 2014

NEWSLETTER AUGUST 2014

DARE STRATOS I I NEWS UPDATES

On the 20th of august, the Stratos II rocket was shown at the OWee information days. The OWee is the introduction week for first year students attending Delft Univer-sity of Technology, InHolland University of Applied Sciences or The Hague Univer-sity. The aim of the OWee is to show new

students what Delft has to offer. Like every year, DARE used this as an opportunity to present their rocketry projects to the freshman students. It was great to see so many interested people at this inspiring event.

DARE Welcomes New Students

NEWS UPDATES

Between June and August 2014 five static tests (#6 – #10) took place with the DHX-200 Aurora hybrid propulsion system af-ter the motor had been on the test stand five times at the facilities of TNO, Rijswijk in 2013. This was the final set of full scale ground tests to be conducted with this sys-tem before the launch of the Stratos II in October. The tests were conducted at the DLR rocket test facilities in Trauen, Ger-many.

In June this year the propulsion team of Stratos II traveled to Germany to test the rocket motor and to characterize its per-formance. Three tests were conducted during the first portion of the test cam-paign. After challenges with low com-

bustion efficiency, grain cracking and subsequent exposure of the thin walled aluminum combustion chamber to hot combustion gases resulting in structural failure during the previous series of tests in 2013, the motor had been partially re-designed to ensure structural integrity and higher efficiency.The five static tests provided the Stratos crew with enough information and con-fidence to proceed with the project and attempt to launch Stratos II halfway into space in the first week of October. Video footage of the tests and in depth elabora-tion on the test results can be found on our website: http://www.dare.tudelft.nl/2014/08/trauen-test-campain/

Trauen Test Campaign

Sponsor Story

Most of the sponsors of the Stratos II proj-ect are widely recognized and have a direct affiliation with rocketry or aerospace. This newsletter’s spotlight is however focused on a company that is quite something else.

Flow Traders is a leading international proprietary trading house. They trade eq-uities as well as derivatives, currencies and bonds on exchanges around the world. Flow Traders is a privately held financial firm that stays ahead of the competition by focusing on technology and the abili-ty to respond instantly. Their business ex-pands each day by adding new products

across an ever-broadening range of mar-kets around the globe. To make sure this all goes well, Flow traders develops their own hard- and software. This is where the visions and activities of Flow traders and Stratos meet. Whether the goal is reach-ing 50 kilometers or performing trades in milliseconds, it is impossible without in-house development. Just like Stratos, Flow traders is always searching for new talent with a combination of a brilliant mind and a “hands on” approach.

These partners so far accepted the challenge:

Specialists in fibre reinforced composites

A EL

Aerospace Propulsion Products