Cavour

The Team's first rocket, named after Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour. Three flights in one year, three configurations, two awards.

FLOWN ×3 · 2023

JUN 2022 – OCT 2023

Cavour in its flight configuration, side-on, nose right

CVR 100-75-3 · FLIGHT CONFIGURATION

DIAMETER: 104 mm
LENGTH: 2 167 mm
WET MASS: 8.4 kg
MOTOR: CTI L1350
MAX SPEED: 320 m/s
BEST APOGEE: 3 143 m

01 – THE NAME

Named after a prime minister.

Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour, was one of the leading figures of Italian Unification and the main promoter of Italy's industrial and scientific development. He was the first prime minister of Italy. The Team's first project is named after him.

In line with the Team's Mission & Vision, Cavour's design is simple and pragmatic, built to draw the way for future projects. It is the first rocket of the Founding Fathers series.

Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour, led Italian Unification and pushed Italy's industry and science forward. He was Italy's first prime minister. Cavour is the first rocket of the Founding Fathers series.

02 – THE DESIGN

Single stage, solid motor,
composite airframe.

Two body tubes and a coupler, four compartments plus the nose cone. The structure is lightweight composite; every internal part is a high-performance 3D-printed carbon-reinforced polymer. Internal diameter 100 mm, variable target altitude.

Two body tubes and a coupler, four compartments plus the nose cone. Lightweight composite structure; every internal part is 3D-printed carbon-reinforced polymer.

05Nose coneOgive, compositeOgive, composite
04Recovery bayDrogue + main, tethers, ejectionDrogue and main parachutes, tethers, ejection
03Payload bayScientific payload, up to 4 kgThe mission's scientific payload, up to 4 kg
02Avionics bayFlight computer, sensors, telemetryFlight computer, sensors, telemetry
01Motor bayCTI L1350 or K940COTS solid motor, CTI L1350 or K940

BOTTOM TO TOP · 01 → 05

03 – VERSIONS

One airframe, three configurations.

Naming: CVR · body diameter (mm) · motor diameter (mm) · motor grains. Highlighted column is the SA Cup flight configuration.

CVR 100-75-3

DESIGN · 3 000 m

CVR 100-75-4

SA CUP + EUROC 2023

CVR 100-54-6

TEST LAUNCH · APR 2023

DIAMETER104 mm104 mm104 mm

LENGTH2 167 mm2 527 mm

EMPTY MASS4.8 kg5.1 kg

WET MASS8.4 kg9.3 kg6.9 kg

PAYLOAD4 kg · scientific540 gNone

MOTORCTI L1350CTI L1350CTI K940

LIFTOFF T/W13.712.915.3

MAX THRUST1 672.5 N1 672.5 N1 120.8 N

MAX SPEED320 m/s295 m/s201 m/s

TARGET APOGEE3 000 m3 000 m1 500 m

SA CUP + EUROC 2023 · FLIGHT CONFIGURATION

DIAMETER: 104 mm
LENGTH: 2 527 mm
EMPTY MASS: 5.1 kg
WET MASS: 9.3 kg
PAYLOAD: 540 g
MOTOR: CTI L1350
LIFTOFF T/W: 12.9
MAX THRUST: 1 672.5 N
MAX SPEED: 295 m/s
TARGET APOGEE: 3 000 m

Naming: CVR · body diameter · motor diameter · motor grains.

04 – LAUNCH HISTORY

Three flights. Three countries. One hard landing.

29 Apr 2023

Bavaria, Germany

CVR 100-54-6 · CTI K940

NOMINAL

Test launch

First flight. The site's apogee limit meant a smaller K-class motor, so Cavour stayed under the ceiling on purpose. The main parachute opened early, likely a faulty tether. Landed at 6.9 m/s, airframe intact, ready to fly again.

APOGEE: 1 331 m
MAX SPEED: 163 m/s
BOOST ACCEL: 9.8 G
LANDING: 6.9 m/s

PHOTO · FROM ARCHIVE

01 · 29 APR 2023

NOMINAL

Test launch

Bavaria, Germany

Under the site's apogee limit on purpose with a K-class motor. Main opened early; landed intact.

APOGEE: 1 331 m
MAX SPEED: 163 m/s
BOOST: 9.8 G

22 Jun 2023

New Mexico, USA

CVR 100-75-4 · CTI L1350

NOMINAL

Spaceport America Cup

Launched from pad B2 at 09:20 local. Apogee landed within 100 m of the 3 048 m target. The main parachute deployed early again, but the rocket came back reusable. 13th in the 10k ft COTS category, and the first Italian team at the Spaceport America Cup.

DR. GIL MOORE AWARD FOR INNOVATION · 3D-printed multilayered fins for flutter suppression

APOGEE: 3 143 m
MAX SPEED: 295 m/s
BOOST ACCEL: 17.3 G
OVERALL RANK: 20 / 119

PHOTO · FROM ARCHIVE

02 · 22 JUN 2023

NOMINAL

Spaceport America Cup

New Mexico, USA

Apogee within 100 m of the 3 048 m target. 13th in 10k ft COTS at the Team's first competition.

DR. GIL MOORE AWARD FOR INNOVATION

APOGEE: 3 143 m
MAX SPEED: 295 m/s
OVERALL: 20 / 119

13 Oct 2023

Santa Margarida, Portugal

CVR 100-75-4 · CTI L1350

RECOVERY FAILED

European Rocketry Challenge

Third flight in one year, at 14:45 local. Boost and coast were nominal. The recovery system failed and Cavour hit the ground at 75 m/s. Still 8th overall of 25 selected teams, and the first PoliTo team at EuRoC.

ANACOM BEST TELEMETRY SPECTRAL SIGNATURE AWARD

APOGEE: 2 800 m
MAX SPEED: 266 m/s
BOOST ACCEL: 14 G
IMPACT: 75 m/s

PHOTO · FROM ARCHIVE

03 · 13 OCT 2023

RECOVERY FAILED

European Rocketry Challenge

Santa Margarida, Portugal

Boost and coast nominal; recovery failed, 75 m/s impact. Still 8th of 25 teams.

ANACOM BEST TELEMETRY SPECTRAL SIGNATURE AWARD

APOGEE: 2 800 m
MAX SPEED: 266 m/s
IMPACT: 75 m/s

05 – GALLERY

From the workshop to the pad.

NEXT PROJECT · 02

VES

Two marks, one Mach 1.8 target. Flew at EuRoC 2024.

Open VES All projects

Cavour

Named after a prime minister.

Single stage, solid motor,composite airframe.

One airframe, three configurations.

Three flights. Three countries. One hard landing.

Test launch

Test launch

Spaceport America Cup

Spaceport America Cup

European Rocketry Challenge

European Rocketry Challenge

From the workshop to the pad.

VES

Single stage, solid motor,
composite airframe.