Group Activities

SPEAR-ARES (Army Rocketry & Engineering Sciences) is the entry point for cadets interested in learning about space and space operations and is led by the Department of Physics & Nuclear Engineering. 

SPEAR-ARES has a threefold mission: one team is dedicated to the NASA Student Launch Competition, another is focused on developing a new ammonium perchlorate propellant with a custom motor design, and a third team is partnering with the Navy to develop components and capabilities for a 6U cubesat. Additionally, SPEAR-ARES coordinates guest speakers from defense, industry, and academia to speak with cadets on the significance of space operations to current defense strategy.

The group meets at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays in Bartlett Hall BHB78 and is open to all cadets.

SPEAR-HRT Capstone

SPEAR-THOR (Tactical Hypersonic Orbital Rocket) is an interdisciplinary capstone led by the Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering and supported by the Department of Systems Engineering. SPEAR-THOR is a direct continuation of the 2018 “Operation Space” effort. The mission of SPEAR THOR is to:

1. Educate and inspire cadets to prepare them to lead Soldiers in a complex, technologically advanced combat environment.
2. Build an appreciation for the organizations and people responsible for developing, integrating, demonstrating, sustaining, and operating missile system capabilities for the DoD.
3. Address contemporary DoD-related space and rocketry challenges.

Since 2020, the capstone team has launched several high-powered rockets to cross the Karman Line (150,000 m) and achieve hypersonic flight.

January 2025 Launch Results

In January 2025, the SPEAR-THOR launched a two-stage, hypersonic rocket into space. The rocket achieved an altitude of 149,556m (490,669 ft) and speeds in excess of 2,000 m/s (6,561 fps). The team submitted a request to publish the full results of their launch at the annual American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics (AIAA) AVIATION Forum in July 2025.

SPEAR Sponsors

The SPEAR program is sponsored by the US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Aviation and Missile Center, the Office of Naval Research, and the Boeing Company.