BANGKOK — 16 July 2026, A rocket engineering team from Chulalongkorn University has earned third place in the world at the 19th Annual International Rocket Engineering Competition (IREC) 2026, bringing international recognition to Thailand.
The CUHAR (Chulalongkorn University High Altitude Research Club) team, or Team 213, from the Faculty of Engineering secured third place in the 30k COTS category at the competition, held in Midland, Texas, from 15-20 June 2026. Organised by the Experimental Sounding Rocket Association (ESRA), the event brought together more than 140 university teams from around the world to design, build and launch high-powered rockets.
CUHAR’s CURSR-V rocket successfully reached an altitude of 30,683 feet, exceeding its target altitude of 30,000 feet, while reaching a top speed of Mach 1.93. The team also achieved full recovery marks after retrieving the rocket without damage, completing the mission successfully from launch to recovery.
According to the official results, CUHAR finished third in the 30k COTS category and 14th overall among 141 competing teams from around the world.
The team said the achievement was the result of months of preparation, the dedication of all team members, and support from academic advisers, sponsors, alumni and other contributors.
Before the competition, the team travelled to Midland to complete the mandatory rocket inspection process and exchanged technical knowledge and experience with teams from other countries.
CUHAR said its members were proud to represent Chulalongkorn University and Thailand on the international stage, thanking everyone who contributed to the development and testing of the CURSR-V rocket.
The team also expressed gratitude to its sponsors, including the Faculty of Engineering at Chulalongkorn University, Onshape, Three Bees, Lenso, RUD, Truscorp, BRP Carbon, Thai Sky Vision, AerCap Ireland Limited and other supporting organisations for helping make the project possible.
