Propulse NTNU has successfully launched its most advanced rocket to date, Fossekall, from Spaceport Trøndelag at Tarva, marking another major milestone for Norwegian student-led aerospace engineering.
The launch followed a few earlier attempts that was safely aborted due to an issue with the rocket's ignition system. After identifying the problem and completing the necessary corrective work, the student team successfully carried out the mission later in the launch window, demonstrating both technical expertise and disciplined launch procedures.
The successful mission is the culmination of nearly a year of design, manufacturing and testing by more than 70 students from NTNU. Designed, built, integrated and tested almost entirely by students, Fossekall is the eighth rocket developed by Propulse NTNU and represents the team's most ambitious and technically advanced rocket project to date.
- An incredible number of hours have gone into this project. More than 70 students volunteer their time alongside their studies, often spending 20 to 30 hours a week without any pay, simply because they are passionate about building something like this," says Stian Alseth, Chairman of Propulse NTNU.
Standing 5.2 metres tall with a diameter of 246 millimetres and a fully fuelled mass of 134 kilograms, Fossekall is powered by a regeneratively cooled liquid rocket engine designed and built by the student team.
The latest rocket incorporates a number of significant technical improvements over its predecessor, including a newly developed electronic pressure regulation system and a decentralised electronics architecture that simplifies the integration of new sensors and subsystems.
The engine uses ethanol and nitrous oxide (N₂O) as propellants, producing 8 kN of thrust during its 10-second burn. The rocket carries 40 kilograms of propellant and integrates advanced avionics, flight software and recovery systems developed almost entirely by the students themselves.
- While the rocket looks fairly similar from the outside, there's a tremendous amount that's new on the inside. We've developed an electronic pressure regulation system and a decentralised electronics architecture that makes the rocket more flexible and much easier to further develop, says Alseth.
Although Fossekall is capable of reaching altitudes of up to 7.8 kilometres, the approved flight profile for the launch from Spaceport Trøndelag was adjusted to meet operational safety requirements.
Adrian Wilhelmsen, a second-year MSc student in Physics and Mathematics at NTNU and Computational Fluid Dynamics Engineer for Project Fossekall, explains:
- The rocket is capable of reaching around 7.8 kilometres based on our latest simulations. For this mission, however, we're limiting the flight to 3,000 metres to comply with operational safety requirements. If the rocket follows its planned trajectory, it cannot reach populated areas, which is an important requirement for the launch approval.
The project showcases advanced expertise across propulsion, structures, electronics, software, computational fluid dynamics, systems engineering and launch operations, all developed by students.
The launch followed an extensive development and testing programme, including multiple hot-fire tests and system verification ahead of the launch campaign at Spaceport Trøndelag.
The launch campaign was conducted from Spaceport Trøndelag at Tarva in close cooperation with Norwegian Air Force and Ørland Main Air Station. Conducting rocket launches in Norwegian airspace requires extensive planning and coordination, and the successful campaign demonstrates the value of collaboration between academia and the Armed Forces.
This was the second rocket launch conducted from Spaceport Trøndelag. The mission demonstrates how the facility is developing as an arena for student projects, research and technology demonstration, bringing together academia, industry and the Armed Forces to develop tomorrow's aerospace expertise.
Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri
Fossekall also carried a research payload developed by Eclipse NMBU, a two-year-old student organisation dedicated to space-related engineering projects. The payload consists of a scientific probe equipped with multiple sensors and an Attitude Determination and Control System (ADCS) designed to reduce uncontrolled rotation during flight. For Eclipse NMBU, the launch marked the maiden flight of the organisation's first research payload.
- This is our first research probe, and it's the result of months of work by most of our 20 members. Seeing it fly aboard Fossekall is a major milestone for Eclipse NMBU and an exciting opportunity to test both our sensors and our ADCS system in flight," says Fredrik Sælen, Project Manager at Eclipse NMBU.
Team Eclipse NMBU. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri
Founded in 2018, Propulse NTNU has grown into one of Europe's leading student rocketry organisations. Today, the team consists of more than 70 students supported by more than 50 industry partners.
For Wilhelmsen, the project's greatest achievement extends far beyond the launch itself.
- For us, this project is about much more than reaching a certain altitude. It's about educating engineers by giving students hands-on experience with every part of designing, building, testing and launching a liquid-fuelled rocket.
Alseth believes the team's greatest challenge is developing an entirely new rocket in less than a year while ensuring every subsystem performs reliably on launch day.
- We're developing an entirely new rocket in less than a year, and when we're standing on the launch pad, everything has to work the first time. The biggest challenge is getting every subsystem completed and reliable enough for the entire vehicle to perform as intended.
Many former Propulse members have gone on to careers within the aerospace, defence and advanced technology industries, helping strengthen Norway's technological capabilities and industrial competitiveness.
Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri
As a member of NORDSEC – Nordic Defence and Security Cluster, Propulse NTNU will participate in Forsvarskonferansen – Nordic Defence and Security Conference at Scandic Hell, Stjørdal, on 22–23 September 2026.
Conference delegates will have the opportunity to meet the Propulse NTNU team, learn more about Project Fossekall and discuss how student-driven innovation contributes to developing future capabilities for Norway's defence, aerospace and dual-use technology sectors.
Projects like Fossekall demonstrate how student-led innovation strengthens Norway's defence and aerospace ecosystem. By bringing together academia, industry and the Armed Forces, Spaceport Trøndelag and NORDSEC help create opportunities for the next generation of engineers to develop technologies with both civilian and defence applications.
NORDSEC congratulates the entire Propulse NTNU team on this outstanding achievement and looks forward to welcoming them to Forsvarskonferansen – Nordic Defence and Security Conference in September.
Launch of Fossekall. Photo: Alexander Field/Propulse NTNU
Photos: Lars Bugge Aarset/ Fremtidens Industri