ARIS Keeps Reaching Higher

Rockets, satellites, robotic explorers — this ETH Zurich focus project is pushing space research forward.

"It's not rocket science," people often say, to imply that something isn’t too difficult. But in the ETH hangar, actual rocket science is happening. A large image of an alien landscape greets you at the entrance, and rockets of various sizes are scattered throughout the hall, ranging from human height to over four meters tall. Some are sleek and slender, others a bit bulkier, with either pointed tips or blunt noses. Every one of these rockets has already launched—some have even breached Earth’s atmosphere—and many have won prestigious awards.

However, ARIS (Academic Space Initiative Switzerland) doesn’t just focus on rockets, as Max Zappe, a final-year student and Head of Industrial Relations, explains. Their scope covers everything space-related, from satellites to robotic explorers, and "generally advancing research," as Zappe puts it. Perhaps most importantly, ARIS offers students a rare chance to put their theoretical knowledge into practice, an opportunity that has been limited in the field of space exploration until now.

Next summer, the ARIS team plans to launch its first satellite, a compact 10x10x10 centimeter cube, into space. In addition to conducting communication tests, the satellite will study the growth rate of human cells in zero gravity. This will take place inside a fully automated bio-lab housed within the tiny cube, which is capable of cell culture and equipped with a space-ready microscope. One notable past project was Periphas, a guided recovery system. To safely return rockets to Earth after launch, the team developed a system that allows for precise control of a parachute during descent.

Engine tests are carried out directly at the IPZ premises, but rocket tests pose more logistical challenges. "We've collaborated with the Swiss military twice to conduct tests in restricted airspace," Zappe explains. However, most of their rocket trials are held at the European Rocketry Challenge in Portugal, and occasionally at the Spaceport America Cup in New Mexico.