Successful launch of research rocket with TUM participation

The MAPHEUS-15 sounding rocket, developed by the German Aerospace Center (DLR), was successfully launched from the Esrange Space Center in Sweden last week. Onboard were 21 scientific experiments from various international institutions, including a contribution from the High-Speed Aerodynamics Research Group at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), focusing on the investigation of flow and temperature phenomena.

Launch team of the MAPHEUS-15 mission at the Esrange Space Centre. Image © DLR MORABA

Led by Prof. Christian Stemmer, the TUM research group "High-Speed Aerodynamics" contributed to the MAPHEUS-15 mission with an experiment that measured flow characteristics and temperature developments during the rocket's flight. The collected data will now be compared with numerical simulations to better understand the so-called laminar-turbulent flow transition—the shift from smooth to chaotic airflow—and surface processes such as material loss caused by heat.

The group aims to further develop measurement techniques to enable more efficient mission designs and optimize spacecraft structures for future projects.

Functional test of the sounding rocket.
Image © DLR MORABA

Salvage of the rocket. Image © DLR MORABA

The MAPHEUS-15 rocket (Material Physics Experiments under Zero Gravity) was provided by the DLR. Partners from Australia, including the University of Southern Queensland and Hyperflight Systems, supplied the measurement and recording technology. This international collaboration enables the collection of data under realistic flight conditions that cannot be replicated in laboratory environments.

For more information on the MAPHEUS sounding rocket program, see the DLR press release.

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