Recovery department

The recovery department is responsible for ensuring the safe return of our rockets. This includes overseeing the deployment of drogue and main parachutes during descent and managing the stage separation systems. Our goal is to ensure that every rocket lands safely within a designated area and remains intact for analysis and potential reuse.

To achieve this, we utilize parachutes from external suppliers while actively developing our own custom separation systems. As a newly established department this year, we are excited to collaborate with the other teams to further enhance AQUILO’s capabilities.

Like every department, the recovery department consists of a department head, members, and advisors. Their workload is a balance of both theoretical and practical tasks. Theoretical work involves researching and selecting the right parachutes, as well as performing calculations on descent loads and speeds. On the practical side, the team is responsible for assembling and rigorously testing these components to ensure a controlled and reliable descent.

Nikita lucas stepantsov

HEAD OF RECOVERY DEPARTMENT

Contact

E-mail: recoveryaquilo@gmail.com

Phone: +31 6 285 433 50

My name is Nikita Lucas Stepantsov. Born and raised in the Netherlands to Spanish and Russian parents.

Currently a second year Aeronautical Engineering student at Inholland, I will be acting as the head of the recovery department for this academic year. Although helicopters have always been my reason for wanting to get into aerospace, I always found space engineering interesting. I believe Aquilo could give me a good start to that field if I were to pursue it in the future. I'm looking forward to working on and designing new recovery systems while working alongside the rest of the Aquilo team.

DEPARTMENT MEMBERS

  • Rob lampe

    Advisor
    Department Head 2023-24
    AQUILO IX Taskforce member

  • Rodolfo Gustavo Soto

    Recovery Engineer
    Joined in 2024

  • Alejandra Cervantes Gálvez

    Recovery Engineer
    AQUILO IX Taskforce member
    Joined in 2024

  • Luca Perez-Muller

    Recovery Engineer
    Joined in 2023

  • Robert-Jan Bel

    Recovery Engineer
    Joined in 2023