Case Study: UC Irvine Rocket Project achieves Spaceshot-ready, high-precision fuel injector with Xometry

Xometry Helps UC Irvine Rocket Team Prepare for Spaceshot

The UC Irvine Rocket Project, a 31-student team building a liquid bipropellant rocket for the FAR‑Mars and Base 11 challenges, faced the critical challenge of developing an explosion‑proof fuel injector that would enable a stable burn for a 1,300 lb thrust engine. The team selected Xometry and its CNC Machining Services (using Xometry’s Instant Quoting Engine to secure fast bids) to manufacture the precision injector components needed for safe and repeatable operation.

Xometry produced the injector parts to the team’s exacting specifications—aluminum 6061 material, fitments machined to +/-0.001" tolerances, and an end‑plate finish of 10 µin / 0.4 µm Ra—designing the parts for a two‑step process that included CNC machining and wire EDM elements. By delivering high‑quality parts quickly and affordably, Xometry enabled the UC Irvine Rocket Project to proceed with assembly and testing confidently, preserved budget flexibility for further development, and removed manufacturing risk from the engine’s final performance.

UC Irvine Rocket Project

Mitchell Martinez

Chief Engineer