Smashing altitude record
According to a press release by the US Army, on January 11, 2025, the SPEAR Hypersonic Rocket Team executed a precision launch that penetrated the boundary of space.
A two-stage tactical hypersonic vehicle ascended 149.556 kilometers, eclipsing the amateur rocketry altitude record by six kilometers and breaching the internationally recognized Kármán Line at 100 km.
The mission involved completing a long-term engineering project. The cadets designed, built, and launched a hypersonic platform to reach low space altitudes and ensure safe recovery.
This success helps the SPEAR program train future Army leaders in space and hypersonic warfare.
Established in 2018 as a cadet-led initiative, SPEAR is now among the nation’s most advanced undergraduate rocketry programs.