Media Feature

NASA announced James Madison University as the overall winner of the agency’s 2025 Student Launch challenge, followed by North Carolina State University, and The University of Alabama in Huntsville. A complete list of challenge winners can be found on the agency’s Student Launch webpage.

“We’re competing against Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech — all these universities that have larger teams with more money,” Steven Woodruff, an assistant professor for JMU’s engineering department, said. “It’s really impressive that JMU [students], through their own hard work, were able to get to this point. So, I’m very proud of them, the department is really proud of them and we’re looking forward to next year.”

JMU Engineering’s Project VULCAN I, placed first overall among all of the universities in competition. Thus, making the team national champions among 70 elite schools across the country. 

“The fact that we are coming from a relatively unknown school in engineering and aerospace and are competing against these schools, potentially doing well and being able to get a foot in the door,” Walker said. “If we do well, that’s recognition from NASA.”

Woodruff emphasized the value of the hands-on experience. “Although you learn a lot in class, there’s a limit to what you can apply until you’re actually building something. In this project, students are learning on the fly and trying new things—skills you won’t find in a textbook.”

The Dukes will be working together during the NASA Student Launch Initiative Competition, an annual challenge that introduces students to high-powered rocketry. To enter the contest, each team must submit a proposal along with several scientific reviews.  

"These students are driven by a shared passion for space, a concept that has united them in the classroom and beyond."

Brandon Carroll explains “So as a first year team, our goal was to make [the rocket] and to compete.” Cameron Funk elaborates that the team intends to create a legacy, “We’re hoping that by [doing] the competition this year, we’ll get a lasting aerospace culture at JMU that’ll outlive our time here.” 

“They were really interested in pushing this forward as a capstone project,” Holland said. “You can’t say no to students that are that eager, who really had a lot of stuff lined up and a lot of ambition to move it forward.” 

"In a fabrication lab in JMU's engineering department, nine students cluster around a purple-and-gold rocket made to climb a mile into the air."