Lúin of Celtchar: Ireland's First 3D-Printed Liquid Rocket Engine

In partnership with the University of Limerick and Irish Manufacturing Research, ULAS HiPR will design and manufacture the first additively manufactured liquid rocket engine in the Republic of Ireland: Lúin of Celtchar.

The project has also been accepted into the Race 2 Space 2026 International Propulsion Competition, marking ULAS HiPR's first entry into an international student propulsion competition.

Designed entirely by the student team, Lúin of Celtchar is a 2 kN, water-cooled IPA and nitrous-oxide bipropellant engine. It will be produced in AlSi10Mg at IMR's Advanced Manufacturing Lab in Mullingar. Additive manufacturing allows the design to use complex internal cooling channels and makes rapid iteration possible. The engine will then return to the University of Limerick for machining, integration and testing.

Founded in 2022, ULAS HiPR has grown to more than 100 students across several disciplines. Previous vehicles Morrígu, Airmedh and Macha have represented Ireland at competitions including Mach-24 and EuRoC. Lúin of Celtchar is the next step: an advanced propulsion system designed, manufactured and tested in Ireland through collaboration between students, academia and industry.