BME Suborbitals Rocket Reveal

The event was organized by Orion Space Generation Foundation. Our foundation was established with the goal and mission of popularizing space exploration and space science to increase knowledge and interest in the sciences, as well as to support research and innovation activities. At the Csillagváros Kft. R&D vertical farm of the Foundation, colonization plant research is underway, and in the field of education, the Giant Moon and Mars Map project for Hungarian children will soon be launched in collaboration with the American Aldrin Family Foundation. We have been working with the BME Suborbitals team for almost 2 years within the framework of our talent development program, and one of the very serious results of our cooperation was the event on Monday.

The Hungarian National Gallery served as the venue, where the organizers provided space for the connection between space sciences and visual arts, as a first step in this exciting and less known area in Hungary, which hides many special opportunities. It is often said that the design, manufacturing, and even operation of a rocket is a kind of art, and the rocket itself qualifies as a work of visual art, from the blueprints to the 3D models to the realized vehicle. All of this must operate with clockwork precision, precisely composed, to ensure that the rocket can adequately perform its tasks, whatever the mission may be.

More than a hundred guests attended the event, including prominent figures from the domestic space industry. Dr. Orsolya Ferencz, the ministerial commissioner responsible for space research, who was also the patron of the event, as well as the candidates of the HUNOR program, and as a virtual surprise guest, Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield greeted the university rocket developers in a pre-recorded video! Anett Fenyőfalvi, the president of Orion Space Generation Foundation, stopped the countdown before the symbolic launch to share the history of the foundation’s relationship with BME Suborbitals with the attendees. The final countdown from ten seconds was from the original audio recording of the Apollo-11 mission, further piquing interest.

Szolnoki Szabolcs

Dr. Sárhegyi István

Before the unveiling of the rocket, speeches and presentations were given: after the opening speech by Dr. Orsolya Ferencz, Szabolcs Szolnoki, the deputy state secretary responsible for technology at the Ministry of Economic Development, and István Sárhegyi, the cabinet chief of the president of 4iG Nyrt., an industrial consultant, gave speeches.

Gergely Tölgyesi, head of the engine development department of BME Suborbitals, presented the history of the racing team in his presentation.

The guests’ visual experiences, provided by the paintings and sculptures in the Gallery, were complemented by a very special artistic performance, a cello performance by Felicián Kalmus and a production of Tünde Vincze, in their spectacular performance named „Standing Cube”.

This was followed by the highlight of the evening, when Zoltán Hafner, the president of BME Suborbitals, presented Prometheus, and after inviting some of his leading colleagues to the stage, the veil could finally be lifted from the rocket! It was an uplifting and touching moment as the masterpiece of the university students was finally revealed to the audience!

The program was concluded by László Borda, founding member of the Orion Space Generation Foundation, with a toast, followed by a reception and networking.

We are very proud of the entire BME Suborbitals competition team for what they created and presented the competition rocket. We are thankful to everyone who participated in the organization of the event. We are grateful for the media partnership work of Spacejunkie at the event. We hope that we were able to provide our guests with a lasting experience at the BME Suborbitals Rocket Reveal.

Successful Integrated Flight Test by Prometheus!

After the Prometheus Rocket Reveal event held by BME Suborbitals in February 2024 at the Hungarian National Gallery, it was uplifting to see the Prometheus rocket fly. The launch of Prometheus on July 1st was another milestone for the team. The first Integrated Flight Test is a crucial step in the rocket development process, as it is the first time the entire system of the rocket is tested under real conditions, allowing for the evaluation of performance, reliability, and safety in a real-world environment. The test also counts towards the EuRoC scoring rules as a tested and practiced launch. As the only Hungarian team to qualify this year, we are very proud of this achievement! They will evaluate the data obtained during the Integrated Flight Test and make further refinements to the rocket. This way, the team can launch Prometheus at EuRoC with confidence and practiced proficiency.