Proteus
WCAN’s flagship vehicle, Proteus, represents a historic milestone in regional aerospace development, as it is the first liquid rocket developed and tested in Alberta and the second heterogeneously pressurized student rocket in Canada. With 20+ members contributing to development and testing, the Proteus project provides hands-on experience with propulsion, machining, system design, range safety, testing, data acquisition, and project management - skills urgently needed in Canada’s growing aerospace sector.
Specifications
A single-stage liquid rocket vehicle leveraging bioethanol and nitrous oxide propulsion to demonstrate advanced aerospace capabilities developed by students in Western Canada.
Architecture
Recovery
A dual-deployment recovery system provides a controlled descent, ensuring safe recovery of the vehicle.
Avionics
Custom flight hardware and software enable 1 kHz sensor data logging and real-time telemetry, facilitating mission-critical monitoring and control of the vehicle.
Pressurant
A high-pressure nitrogen system, regulated down from 6000 psi, is used to maintain constant propellant pressure throughout the engine burn.
Propellant
Bioethanol and nitrous oxide are stored in a tube-in-tube tank, minimizing external plumbing and leading to a significant reduction in overall vehicle length.
Engine
Propellants are introduced to the combustion chamber through a metal 3D-printed injector manifold and a custom-designed injector. The engine generates 5 kN (1,100 lbf) of force, carrying the vehicle to its target altitude of 10,000 ft (3048 m).