Pictured: USYD Rocketry Team after their win in Texas. Pauline Gigi O’Rourke front centre holding one of the trophies [Picture credit: The University of Sydney]

As reported by Sydney University News on 19 June 2025, the University of Sydney Rocketry Team has triumphed over more than 150 international teams to win the world’s largest university rocketry competition — and Paulines have played a key role in that success.

Sydney University’s latest rocket, Pardalote, claimed first place at the International Rocket Engineering Competition (IREC) in Midland, Texas. The event drew 156 student teams from 19 countries and took place over six days in extreme heat and windstorm conditions. Of the launches attempted, 136 were successful.

Pardalote soared to an altitude of 10,342 feet (3.15 km) with an error margin of just 3.42%, setting a new record for apogee accuracy in the 10k hybrid launch vehicle category — a historic achievement in the competition’s nearly two-decade history.

A Legacy of Excellence and Mentorship

The IREC, run by the Experimental Sounding Rocket Association (ESRA), has been held annually since 2006 and gained international status in 2011. Sydney University’s rocketry success is no accident — it’s built on years of leadership and mentorship, particularly from Pauline Warwick Holmes (at College 1981–82).

Warwick, former Executive Director of Space Engineering in the School of Aeronautical Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, led Sydney University to world championship wins in 2019 and 2022. He mentored lead engineer Mitch Galletly, a PhD student, and introduced the team to European spacecraft engineering standards — a move that made Sydney University the first Australian university ever accepted into the competition.

Two of Warwick’s top students from the 2019 team have since secured roles at DLR, the German National Space Agency, thanks to his guidance and international connections.

2025 Team: New Faces, Same Spirit

This year, Warwick is mentoring Gigi O’Rourke, a third-year BE(Mech)(Space) student and current Pauline. Gigi, a member of the 2025 winning team, told USYD News: “Launching far from the comfort of our own Australian backyard, Pardalote’s performance on American soil not only broke records of accuracy,  but established a new standard for what an undergraduate team can accomplish.”

The student-led team designed, built, tested, and launched the rocket — including developing the propulsion system and ground infrastructure. Their success was underpinned by a strong team culture and rigorous engineering discipline.

From Trangie to Texas: A Journey of Precision

The 2025 team conducted extensive testing at Arthursleigh Farm near Goulburn, followed by a full-scale test flight at Tolarno Station in Menindee, western NSW. These trials were critical in validating the hybrid propulsion system and ensuring mission success in Texas.

This testing tradition began in 2017 when Warwick Holmes transformed the USYD Rocketry Team by introducing spacecraft engineering standards and emphasizing the importance of full-scale ground testing. He led early teams to Trangie, where they conducted critical flight component tests — laying the groundwork for the team’s current success.

Warwick praised the 2025 team’s precision: “Knowing exactly when to shut down the engines within milliseconds to coast to 10,000 feet is an extraordinary engineering feat — especially given the variability in air pressure, temperature, humidity, and thrust.”

For the full story in University of Sydney News CLICK HERE