Using Indigenous methodologies and engineering for rockets and payloads.
First Nations Launch is an annual NASA Artemis student challenge centered around designing, building, simulating, testing, and launching a single-stage rocket and payload. At MIT, we use Indigenous methodologies and structures in our team to learn and understand how we as engineers can shape the world around us through aerospace and beyond. We also seek to build better relationships with our local Indigenous nations to be of service in sharing our experiences and knowledges of science and space.
In 2024, the team won the grand prize at NASA’s First Nations Launch High-Power Rocket Competition.
AT A GLANCE
Number of Members:
8 members in 2023-2024
Team leaders:
- Hailey Polson, Team Captain
- Nicole McGaa, Project Manager
Year Began:
2022
Advisors:
- Jeffrey Hoffman
- Nina Lytton
Location: Indigenous Peoples' Center, W31-221
Sponsors:
Blue Origin
Joining the team:
- Email fnl-exec@mit.edu if interested, or would like to drop in on our weekly team meetings!
Press:
- MIT’s First Nations Launch team wins grand prize at NASA’s First Nations Launch High-Power Rocket Competition (Edgerton Center, August 22, 2024)
- The Indigenous rocketeer (Nature magazine, August 17 2023)
Sponsorship Opportunities:
General Corporate Sponsor ($1000) – official company logo will appear on competition rocket airframe