Grunt: How an Extremely Simple Rocket Engine Unlocked Our Success

The Liquid Rocket Initiative exists for one reason: to create an environment where learning about rocket engineering is natural and quick. We believe that the best way to create

this kind of environment is to bring together the best engineers and leaders on campus and to work with these individuals to complete compelling technical projects. It is frequently said that we are the average of the five people who we spend the most time with: if those five people are some of the most talented engineers and leaders at the University of Illinois, then the consequences will be incredible. Competence is generated naturally when we work together to tackle difficult engineering problems. This creates an environment where technical skills and abilities accrue naturally to our members, helping to address the shortage of talented engineers in the aerospace industry.

So how do we assemble a kickass cohort of people? There are two ways to do this: first, by recruiting the best of the best; second, by challenging our members to grow and surpass themselves. For us to achieve these goals, it is critical for us to develop the Liquid Rocket Initiative’s credibility. Credibility is a significant determining factor for the success of any student group, as the best people will gravitate toward the best group, and members within a student group will be willing to work harder if they see evidence that their work leads to tangible results. We want to recruit people who are interested in building a legacy, rather than just building a resume. For one to build a legacy, however, one’s work must not be for naught. Credibility is necessary to show people that their work will have a lasting impact on the University of Illinois.

Grunt is the first step in building this credibility—it is the simplest possible engine we could have built. It uses a pintle injector, which is easy to manufacture, a flange connection, which is easy to seal, and a short burn duration, which makes it easy to keep cool. These sacrifices make Grunt useless as a flight engine, but they make it extremely useful as a pathfinder and as an indicator of our abilities.

Despite the fact that Grunt cannot burn for more than half a second, it plays an essential role in the development of this organization. It has taught us important lessons about preparing CAD models and drawings, organizing logistics (don’t put all of your eggs in one basket!), and interfacing with Purdue’s Zucrow Labs. Grunt’s design was so simple that we sometimes felt like we weren’t achieving anything. But by actually finishing an engine, we made it further than most student groups ever have. We got a lot of people excited about the potential of our organization, which has allowed us to take on the much more ambitious projects we are working on now.

Grunt, despite its simplicity, has been a catalyst for the Liquid Rocket Initiative’s growth. It has provided us with a strong technical foundation that has excited a lot of students on the U of I campus. This excitement has allowed us to create an environment where interested and competent engineers can come and be surrounded by like-minded, intelligent people. We will be continuing this development trajectory with the test stand project, deepening the intensity and commitment of those involved on both the technical and leadership fronts, helping us to recruit more members and sponsors who share our vision.