Morgan State Sets To Blast Off With New University Rocketry Program
BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Morgan State University received a $1.6 million grant from Base 11 to start a rocketry program Monday and students WJZ spoke with said the opportunity was big, or in other words: astronomical.
It starts with a dream in a new age.
Morgan State - winners of the Base 11 national competition - Now dawning as the first University Rocketry team. The goal is to build and launch a liquid-fueled rocket.
Build and launch a liquid-fueled rocket that can reach an altitude of 100 kilometers - the edge of space.
"The 1.6 million dollars is going to Morgan State infrastructure so we can build rockets and to let everyone know that anyone can do this," Leland Melvin said.
Melvin is an Astronaut and Spokesperson for Base 11 is a former NFL Wide Receiver who motivated dozens of students today.
"I was waiting for an opportunity like this," Senior Cora Buck said. "Once I heard we were actually building a rocket, one of my professors pulled me to the side and said yeah they're having a space program coming. Would you be interested, and I was the first person to sign up."
Sophomore Dorrian Gary-Stokes added on.
"I'm not always so confident in my abilities but after hearing him, I feel like I can do anything."
Morgan State University President David Wilson says it's about sparking the mind that could change the world, rather than the prize money.
"What they were saying was I can do that too. I can build a rocket. We are going to build this rocket. We are going to win this national competition. That was more gratifying and satisfying than anything else."
Morgan State will house its rocket program in the Center for Built Environment and Infrastructure Studies building, home of The School of Architecture and Planning and some of the university's engineering programs.
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