Proteus
As the flagship vehicle of the Western Canada Aerospace Initiative, Proteus represents a historic milestone in regional aerospace development, as it is the first liquid rocket developed and tested in Alberta. Proteus began in 2024 as an engineering capstone design project at the University of Calgary. Today, the project continues to serve as a valuable training opportunity for students to gain hands-on experience with advanced aerospace applications. Now targeting a Summer 2027 launch, the Proteus project continues to lead the way in WCAN's efforts to push the technical boundaries of student aerospace projects in Western Canada.
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).