Building on its predecessor, LURA’s Gryphon I rocket: design, build and fly a high-power rocket that is capable of breaking the UKRA Amateur Rocketry Altitude Record from British soil.
The Gryphon II (G2) is LURA’s most advanced rocket yet. It is a 2.8 metre carbon fibre rocket with a 3D-printed fincan, fully modular manacle ring design, dual-stage recovery, and our own custom avionics system which integrates with the COTS flight computers.
This is LURA’s flagship rocket designed to break the UKRA Amateur Rocketry Altitude Record from British soil.
Project Timeline
Started Project
Preliminary Design Review
Critical Design Review
Gryphon II Test Flight
Gryphon II Supersonic Flight
Gryphon II Record-Breaking Flight
The Gryphon II project has been long underway with significant process made, but our journey still continues.
It has been extremely challenging to find a UK-based launch site that allows us to fly at high altitudes. Our Launch Operations team have worked hard with our launch partners across the country to do this.
So far, G2 has flown successfully twice. Learn more about the Gryphon II’s flight history.
flight history
GRYPHON II Test Flight
In April 2024, Gryphon II flew at Midlands Rocketry Club (MRC) on an Aerotech K700 motor, reaching an apogee of 3,160 feet despite slight weather cocking. Both the drogue and main chutes were deployed successfully, and no damage was incurred upon landing.
This test flight was essential to verify the performance of G2’s avionics, recovery systems, flight simulation models, and our custom-built launch silo ‘Sentinel’. It served as a pivotal milestone in our pursuit to break the altitude record.
GRYPHON II Supersonic Flight
1 failed attempt and 3 weather cancellations later, we were eager to get Gryphon II in the clouds again. On the 5th of April 2025, we successfully launched G2 at the SARA Fairlie Moor Rocket Site (FMRS) in Scotland on a Cesaroni M3400 motor.
It reached an astonishing altitude of 20,000 feet and a maximum speed of Mach 1.5 (~1,100 miles per hour). This launch was a first for many of us on the team, needless to say it was a great experience.
The main parachute failed to deploy and caused damage to the aft tube and fincan. Our recovery team walked over 8 kilometres over the hills of Fairlie Moor and found G2 in less than 40 minutes.
Check out the highlights below!
RECORD-BREAKING FLIGHT
We aim to use G2 to break the UKRA Amateur Altitude Record in the summer of 2025.
Student-led engineering initiatives like LURA have proven to be valuable, but often face funding challenges.
Help support LURA’s long-term projects by donating to our Crowdfunder. We are also doing a 10k Fundraiser Run on the 14th of May 2025 to raise money for this launch which you can contribute to on our GoFundMe.
Your donations will directly fund the critical components for G2 including the avionics, recovery system, aerostructures, flight dynamics, as well as the complicated logistics involved with launching G2 to a high-altitude from British soil.
Watch this space for updates after the launch!
