Development of a Candy Hybrid Rocket Motor for Undergraduate Space Education

Abstract

In this study, a reusable educational motor that can burn different types of materials in the chamber was developed. Specifically, five candidate sweets were selected as fuel and burnt. The combustion performances of these sweets were compared, and the soft candy was selected as the solid fuel to be used in the motor, because it had the highest total impulse. The SOUKI Systems Co. Ltd. designed a small candy hybrid rocket based on these results. The candy rocket was launched successfully using soft candy at the Kada Cosmo Park. The motor carried the candy rocket to 319 m altitude and was fully functional under the high-acceleration environment.