Imagine a fledgling team arriving for its first international competition, the 2024 Moon challenge of NASA’s First Nations Launch. They have spent the last year planning, designing and building a six-foot rocket they named Stoodis (meaning “Let’s do this”). They have spent the three days leading up to their flight to Chicago sanding, polishing, and painting. Upon arrival, they discover that a baggage handling accident has badly cracked major components and dented the entire body. Worse, the 3D printer, brought along to effect any needed repairs, is also damaged. Clearly, the competition is over for them, right? Evidently, you haven’t met Thunderbird Aerospace, the first and only Indigenous-focused design team at the University of British Columbia (UBC).
“We took a deep breath, created temporary patches for the printer, printed the parts to fix the printer, and then printed the parts to fix our rocket,” says Raven Caron, a fourth-year student in Integrated Engineering, the Co-Founder and Co-Captain of Thunderbird Aerospace. “After five days and nights, with only two hours of sleep per night, we brought our rocket back to its former glory and slapped the MDA Space vinyl on the nose cone.”
Thunderbird Aerospace, on a mission to disrupt the cycle of Indigenous underrepresentation in STEM by nurturing the next generation of Indigenous engineers and scientists, has partnered with MDA Space through the company’s LaunchPad program. Support from MDA Space came at a critical time. “Their sponsorship of us was the moment that made everything possible,” says Raven. “Not only did it provide us with the funds to be able to attend the First Nations Launch, but it also gave us confidence, nearly as important for such a new team.”
“Space is hard. Overcoming adversity is key to succeeding in this industry; a problem arises, you find a solution, and work to implement it. In that moment Thunderbird Aerospace demonstrated they have what it takes – and we are proud to count them as part of our network,” says Shawn Roy, Senior Director Corporate Development of MDA Space.
The next big challenge for the small but mighty team is Launch Canada’s 2025 rocketry competition, where they will fly Skoden (meaning “Let’s go then”), a nearly 20-foot tall rocket, designed to handle Mach 3 (three times the speed of sound). The small team is growing too. With 13 members, it is nearly twice as large as it was at the start, and new applications are flowing in. Raven explains that, once the new members are in place, in addition to being a majority Indigenous team, Thunderbird Aerospace UBC will also a majority female team.
Raven encourages others who may want to partner with MDA Space to “just do it” and apply through the LaunchPad portal. He explains that the program goes way beyond financial sponsorship, providing advice, confidence, and the ability to gain a reputation. “Their sponsorship is a huge motivator to continue our missions,” he says, with characteristic positivity and determination. “We cannot quit. We want every Indigenous student to be able to see themselves in the stars and beyond.”
Visit our LaunchPad portal to see how we can partner together!