Majed Chahwan, RISE's new team manager, on his vision and ambitions

Majed Chahwan is the new team manager of RISE and shares his vision and ambitions for the future.

Majed Chahwan, RISE's new team manager, on his vision and ambitions

As RISE's new team manager, Majed Chahwan has a clear vision: to better organise the team and build sustainable collaborations. In this interview, he shares his background, team ambitions and RISE's mission for sustainable space exploration with innovative projects such as the Green Phoenix engine and Project Alpha.

From external relations to team leadership

With his background in External Relations at RISE and his dedication, Majed stood out. He says: "I enjoy this role immensely! I love leading the team, keeping a keen eye on our goals and actively supporting in solving problems that come up. It's incredibly fun to be involved in everything from pitching new ideas to interviewing new team members and taking care of media contacts."

Majed has a clear mission as team leader: to organise the team in the best possible way and foster a culture of dedication. "I want every team member to be fully committed to his or her role and goals. I am also strongly committed to new partnerships and will give extra attention to external relations and communication this year. I believe we have a lot to gain here," he says.

Sustainability in space

With a diverse group of more than 40 students from VU Amsterdam, the UT and Saxion, RISE is a pioneer in the field of sustainable space exploration. The team consists of students from more than 15 different nationalities, making for a creative and dynamic environment where innovation prevails. RISE's mission? To make space safer and more sustainable with impactful projects.

One of the projects Majed and his team are working on is Project Alpha, which integrates green fuels for energy-efficient space travel. There is also Project Phoenix, an ambitious project aimed at developing a flying hybrid rocket engine that contributes to sustainable space travel. Majed explains: "With innovative technology and sustainable practices, we want to play an important role in space exploration. We are planning several rocket launches and engine tests for 2025 and look forward to showing our progress to the world."

A sustainable future

One of RISE's most pioneering initiatives is the development of the Green Phoenix rocket engine, which uses beeswax-based biofuel. This is an environmentally friendly and renewable alternative to traditional rocket fuels and sets a new standard for sustainability in space travel. "Using beeswax reduces emissions and provides a cleaner alternative to conventional rocket engines," Majed said.

In addition to the Green Phoenix, RISE is working on reusable rockets to reduce waste in space and minimise resources for each launch. Furthermore, the Clean Space project is committed to removing space debris and creating awareness about the risks of space debris.

Looking ahead to 2024 and 2025

The coming year is full of activities and events for RISE. In September 2024, for instance, the Phoenix Propulsion Programme will start, focusing on the development of a hybrid rocket engine. Open days at VU Amsterdam and the UT will follow in November, and a full day of workshops and lectures is planned at VU Amsterdam in December.

Majed enthusiastically says: "April 2025 will be an important milestone. During our big event, we will unveil the latest developments of Project Phoenix and invite the public and our partners to come and admire these advances. We are also looking forward to the first rocket launch with Alpha's flight computer in May and the first static test of the Phoenix engine in June 2025. Each of these steps brings us closer to our goals."

The collaboration between VU Amsterdam and the UT

The collaboration between VU Amsterdam and the UT is essential to RISE's success. While VU Amsterdam focuses on software development for rocket electronics, the UT focuses on propulsion and mechanics. This set-up allows students to do specialised work from their own location, with regular meetings and shared resources to keep projects running smoothly. Majed says: "We want to attract more engineering students from VU Amsterdam and are working on setting up a co-working space there to make collaboration even smoother. This collaboration with two universities helps us grow and broadens our capabilities."

Students in action

At RISE, students get the chance to work on real rocket projects, applying their knowledge and skills in software, electronics, propulsion, mechanics and more. They can also work in non-technical roles, such as communications and external relations. Majed stresses the importance of teamwork and diversity within RISE: "Our members come from all over the world and learn to work together with people from different cultures, which gives them good preparation for their later careers."