The path to the stars is lined with…bees? Eight engineering majors at London’s Kingston University have built and test-fired a hybrid rocket engine that burns ordinary beeswax instead of standard paraffin or plastic fuels. Working 18 months in the school’s Roehampton Vale propulsion lab, they designed the motor in software, machined the parts on campus, and recorded pressure and temperature data that show beeswax delivers performance similar to conventional propellants.
Team member Michaella Gapelbe Santander says they chose beeswax because it’s renewable, easy to source from beekeepers, and more planet-friendly than fossil-based fuels. Senior lecturer Dr. Peter Shaw calls the project a perfect blend of “love of the planet with complex engineering,” adding that the work gives students real-world skills while nudging industry to think greener. The group plans to publish its results soon, hoping aerospace firms will explore sustainable options for future launch vehicles.
Source: Tech Xplore
