July 7, 2021
K-State's high-powered rocketry team places fourth at annual international Spaceport America Cup
K-State's high-powered rocketry team, Final Frontier Aerospace Systems and Technology, or FFAero, competed in the 15th anniversary of the international competition 2021 Spaceport America Cup, placing fourth out of 36 teams in its division and 10th out of 76 teams overall.
Seventy-six teams from 16 countries took part in the three-day online event June 18-20. The virtual competition allowed university student teams to submit rocket designs for evaluation and included technical presentations and forums, keynote addresses from aerospace industry leaders and rocket safety training.
FFAero is a student organization in the Alan Levin Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering. The late Warren White, associate professor in the department, was the faculty advisor.
"Besides the presentations, we had a great time meeting students from the U.S. and across the world," said Ben Murdock, senior in mechanical and nuclear engineering and FFAero president.
Other team officers involved with this competition are Zach Deibert, senior in computer and electrical engineering, SAC competition manager; Miranda Dodson, master's student in electrical and computer engineering, treasurer; Brett Funk, senior in mechanical and nuclear engineering, vice president; and Grant Nichol, senior in computer engineering, secretary.
Team members participating from mechanical and nuclear engineering include Nick Rodriguez, Brandon Cooper, Lindsey Crowell, Logan Nagle, Blaine Peery, Keegan Taylor and Cameron Weeks; and members from computer engineering are Brett Warren and Max Myzer.