Goddard Sounding Rocket System
Goddard
A fully reusable, two-stage sounding rocket. It flies research payloads and brings every stage home to fly again.
In development · First test flight GT-01 upcoming
01 / What it is
Flight as a test cycle, not a one‑off.
Goddard is MKII Aerospace’s research sounding rocket. You bring the experiment; Goddard flies it, returns the data and the hardware, and is ready to fly again. Building around reuse means each flight is a step in a test program, so you can fly, learn, change something and fly again.
- Reusable
- Both stages come back under parachute, built to be refurbished and flown again.
- Modular
- Payload sections and stage segments stack on one common airframe, configured to each mission.
- Recovery-first
- Recovery is designed in from the start, with a path to launch and recover offshore.
02 / The vehicle
Every part has a job.
Turn the vehicle, or pick a part to see what it does. Shown as the aerodynamic model we fly in simulation.
03 / The flight
Up, apart, and back again.
A standard Goddard flight, from the launch rail through recovery of both stages at sea.
Ascent
- 01
Launch
Goddard leaves the rail under first-stage thrust on a stable flight path.
- 02
Powered ascent
Stage one burns through its thrust profile, driving the stack through the lower atmosphere.
- 03
Burnout and coast
Stage one burns out and the stack keeps climbing on momentum alone.
- 04
Stage separation
The interstage releases and stage one falls away from stage two.
Apogee
- 05
Coast and ignition
Stage two clears the separation event, stabilizes, and ignites.
- 06
Second burn
Stage two delivers the second thrust phase toward apogee.
- 07
Apogee
Stage two coasts to peak altitude, where the payload collects its primary data.
Recovery
- 08
Descent
Both stages arc over and begin their ballistic fall back toward the surface.
- 09
Parachutes
Each stage deploys its own recovery canopy and slows to a survivable rate.
- 10
Snag and tow
A recovery vessel snags each stage’s line and tows it clear of the water, ready to fly again.
04 / What it’s for
Built for the work that needs flight.
- 01Atmospheric scienceInstruments that need to sample or observe the upper atmosphere in place, not from a distance.Launch services →
- 02Technology demonstrationProve a sensor, component or subsystem in a real flight environment before it matters.Commercial →
- 03Flight qualificationRaise a payload’s readiness level with flight data a program office will accept.Government →
- 04University researchA practical route to flight for PI-led and student experiments, with integration support.Universities →
05 / Fly with us
Fly your payload on Goddard.
Tell us what you’re trying to fly and when. We’ll tell you where it fits, and work with you from integration through recovery.
Questions
Goddard FAQ
What is the Goddard Sounding Rocket System?
Goddard is MKII Aerospace’s fully reusable, two-stage sounding rocket for atmospheric research, technology demonstration and suborbital science. Both stages are recovered by parachute and designed to fly again.
Has Goddard flown yet?
Not yet. The first test flight, GT-01, is upcoming. This page describes the system’s design intent, and we update it as flight testing produces data.
What can Goddard carry?
Scientific instruments, atmospheric sensors, technology demonstration packages and other research payloads, integrated through standardized interfaces. Payload and altitude are configured to each mission: tell us your requirements and we will tell you where it fits.
How is Goddard recovered?
Each stage deploys its own parachute and descends to the ocean, where a recovery vessel snags its line and tows it clear of the water for return and refurbishment.
Is Goddard affiliated with NASA?
No. MKII Aerospace is an independent company. Goddard is named in honor of Robert H. Goddard, the pioneering American rocket scientist, and has no affiliation with NASA or the Goddard Space Flight Center.