“Rocket science is tough, and rockets have a way of failing.” - Sally Ride

The Aurora Initiative is Queen Mary University of London’s dedicated rocketry society, uniting students who want to design, build, and launch rockets. Our members participate in prestigious competitions, including the National Rocketry Championship, MACH, Race 2 Space, and potentially EuRoC. Along the way, students gain real engineering experience in propulsion, avionics, recovery systems, and structures, while also developing skills in project management, sponsorship, and outreach.

We believe that anyone can be part of rocketry - not just engineers. Whether you want to code flight computers, manage media, or design payloads, there’s a role for you in Aurora. Our associate program ensures that everyone has the opportunity to learn, experiment, and contribute.

How to Join 

Everyone who joins Aurora starts as an Associate Member, whether you’re interested in operations, aiming for a competition team, or just curious about rocketry. From 1st–17th October, we’ll run our Welcome Sessions: a series of workshops and crash courses designed to give you a solid introduction to rocket design, propulsion, avionics, recovery systems, and more. No prior experience is needed; by the end, everyone will have a strong foundation, no matter their background or course.

During this period, applications will be open for our competition teams. These close on 17th October, with teams announced a week or two later. If you’re not on a comp team, your Aurora journey is just beginning: associates get access to regular events, intra-society competitions, guest talks, technical challenges, and trips throughout the year.

If this sounds like the society for you, grab your membership now through QMSU. Not sure yet? Come and chat with us at the Welcome Fair, and we’ll be happy to answer any questions.

Here's a link to our linktree for more information! - https://linktr.ee/TheAuroraInitiative