Meet the 2024/2025 RISE team

We are RISE, our passion is to innovate in challenging problems in rocketry and space engineering. We are based at the University of Twente and the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. This collaboration welcomes students from the Beta studies at the VU and the engineering studies at the UT to work together on challenging multidisciplinary projects.

Achieving circularity and sustainability pushes the space industry to unique and innovative solutions we did not dare to dream of a decade ago. With the rising number of particles in orbit and the limited resources on Earth, solutions have to be made to sustain human space activities. RISE focuses on two topics, sustainability in rocketry and active space debris removal. Project Alpha brings reusability and renewable fuel usage together in one project where the first verticle landing of a biofuel-powered will be presented. The vertical landing, or powered descent, allows for complete reusability of the rocket. With Project Clean Space the team aims to engage high school and undergrad students to collaborate in generating creative ideas in a yearly competition to tackle a rising problem, space debris. Removing floating objects in orbit and sustaining an efficient working in-space servicing system will be paramount to maintain a safe environment for satellites, rocket vehicles and astronauts.

With these projects, RISE hopes to raise awareness about the importance of sustainability in the space sector and to show STEM students the exciting challenges and new possibilities that come with them.