Get Involved Early at Embry-Riddle and Change Your Trajectory with ERPL

What is the Experimental Rocket Propulsion Lab?

The Experimental Rocket Propulsion Lab (ERPL) at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Daytona Beach Campus is an organization dedicated to building and testing experimental rocket engines. With a diverse leadership team, multiple divisions and a dynamic project history, the ERPL provides students with an array of opportunities to interact with liquid bipropellant rocket engines.

Sean McConoughey (’28), president of ERPL, is striving towards a collegiate record with the lab’s magnum opus, Project Moe. We first met Sean during the summer of 2025 when he discussed his path to leading projects at ERPL.

The lab supplies an environment where any student can play a vital role in a project, such as the Draco rebuild initiative, that gives them distinctive hands-on experience.

The Draco Rebuild Initiative

Draco is a rocket test stand that allows students to safely test liquid rocket engines and has been essential equipment for conducting hot-fire and pressurized tests.

In early spring 2026, Draco sustained damage from an engine anomaly during a ground engine test while the team monitored from a remote area. Designing, building and testing hardware to its limit is one of the best ways to rapidly iterate and is a key part of the engineering lifecycle, but project leadership determined that only a portion of Draco could be salvaged.

The initiative to rebuild Draco had to begin immediately.

Growing Skills through Passion and Dedication

Zane Reed (’27), ERPL’s fluids systems lead, was tasked with determining the next steps for Draco. He decided to assign the rebuild initiative to a group of five first-year Aerospace Engineering students.

“In order to meet tight deadlines, I had to plan the way forward,” he said. “I assembled a group of freshmen who were new to the club to take on this monumental challenge.”

Initial redesign planning began shortly before spring break. Zane emphasized how difficult it would be to undertake this kind of project.

“Working with a new group on a very important project is something not many college students get to really dig into,” he said. “This project has been a learning experience for them, both as engineers and as friends.”

With feedback from Zane and deadlines to follow, the students worked tirelessly to craft a strong critical design review. As of April 2026, each component was rebuilt, and Draco successfully became operational again.

Each of the five students brought something special to the table, honing skills that will help them in their future academic and professional careers.

Jack Gravestock (’25, ’26), an Aerospace Engineering graduate student and test team lead for the lab, commented on the work ethic of the group.

“I don’t think I’ve seen such a dedicated group of first-year students get so involved so early on,” Jack said. “They are a real testament to what can be done with limited knowledge but unlimited passion.”

First-Year Students Make a Big Impact

The lab provided each student on the team with the opportunity to develop this initiative, and in turn, has become a place where each student can develop and thrive.

Shaan Cooper (’29)

Shaan initially joined ERPL’s fluids division to design and integrate a fire suppression system.

His primary objectives in the Draco rebuild initiative were securing propellant tanks and designing restraints.

Alexander Bulger (’29)

Alexander entered ERPL with an organic interest in problem solving and working with mechanical systems. He was familiar with Draco before it sustained damage.

He redesigned the liquid oxygen (LOX) system downstream of the tank, which involved working through cryogenic considerations, layout and relief valve sizing.

Hohyeon “Jack” Jung (’29)

Jack managed tank integration during the rebuild.

“I performed multiple hand calculations on performance and the effect of constant weight on our load cells, as well as water hammer calculations for our valves and slug calculations for our injectors,” he elaborated.

Alberto Avalos (’29)

Alberto was responsible for several aspects of the Draco rebuild initiative, including the upstream pressurant system, orifice sizing, system layout and ensuring that the design met safety and operational requirements.

Josué Alberro Arias (’29)

Josué designed and validated a new thrust structure architecture and streamlined fluid delivery systems for the Draco rebuild.

And while the technical excellence brought him to ERPL, contributing to a greater mission keeps him invested.

Career Opportunities Come Early

ERPL pioneers projects that offer students valuable experience in liquid propulsion, avionics and flight systems as early as their first few weeks at Embry-Riddle.

Though these five students are early in their academic journey, getting involved at the lab has already had a clear impact on their success.

For Jack Jung, the Draco rebuild initiative confirmed his future career goals. “This experience has shaped my conception of what I want to do going forward, reinforcing my desire to work on rocket propulsion systems and contribute to complex, real-world aerospace engineering projects,” he said.

Alberto Avalos is an example of how ERPL develops both engineering projects and the engineers behind them. His experience in the lab has opened doors to early networking and industry interviews.

“This year, I earned two NASA Pathways interviews, an opportunity that reinforced how far I’ve come and how far I want to go,” Alberto shared.

Students earning interviews with companies like NASA and SpaceX mere months into their education highlights the lab’s dedication to greatness.

Embry-Riddle Creates Pathways to Rewarding Futures

Each member of the Draco rebuild initiative team elaborated on how ERPL and Embry-Riddle's endless opportunities have inspired and influenced them from the start.

When reflecting on what excited him about Embry-Riddle, Shaan Cooper thinks of “how quickly and easily [he] was able to learn by participating in real projects that offer learning and development opportunities.”

Jack Jung “attended Embry-Riddle’s aerospace camp over summer break, which grew [his] interest in attending Embry-Riddle.” The development projects he has worked on have cemented that interest.

Alberto Avalos feels confident that “everything [he is] doing now, from ERPL projects to industry interviews to advanced coursework, is part of [his] career trajectory.”

Josué Alberro Arias “has never felt so motivated and driven in [the] pursuit of [his] career goals before. The human and technical resources that ERPL and Embry-Riddle provide will prove invaluable in [his] career and roles within industry.”

Alexander Bulger found that “coming to Embry-Riddle opened a door to the aerospace field in a way [he] hadn’t experienced before. It showed [him] how exciting aerospace engineering is and how much there is to learn.” Experience at ERPL helped Alexander land his manufacturing internship at Collins Aerospace for the summer of 2026 — an exceptional accomplishment for a first-year student.