Tarsus University students have achieved a significant success at TEKNOFEST, the world’s largest aviation, space, and technology festival, which is organized through the cooperation of public institutions, the private sector, and academic stakeholders with the aim of contributing to Türkiye’s National Technology Initiative. The TMGM Troposphere Rocket Team, consisting of Tarsus University students, won second place in Türkiye in the Group A High-Altitude Category of the TEKNOFEST 2026 Rocket Competition. The team was also awarded the Best Original Design Award for the original design it developed.
Led by Cihanay Kelkoca, a student in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at Tarsus University, the TMGM Troposphere Rocket Team competed with its high-altitude rocket “CİHAN,” which it developed through original avionics systems, composite body manufacturing, and mechanical subsystem designs. Having successfully completed the challenging elimination stages of the competition, the team also demonstrated a successful performance during ramp integration and the launch finals held in Aksaray. Among the 73 teams that reached the final stage out of 2,212 applications, the TMGM Troposphere Rocket Team secured second place in Türkiye in the Group A High-Altitude Category through its technical and operational achievements.
The TMGM Troposphere Rocket Team was academically advised by Dr. İbrahim Halil Cihan, a faculty member in the Department of Aerospace Engineering, while Serhat Özdemir served as its field and competition advisor. The Tarsus University students on the team are Cihanay Kelkoca (Aerospace Engineering), Berat Ağırbaşlı (Aerospace Engineering), Havin Özdöl (Aerospace Engineering), Oğulcan Doğan (Computer Programming/Graduate), Rümeysa Atıcı (Aerospace Engineering), Sevgi Papu (Nursing/Graduate), and Tayyip Deniz Baştürk (Aerospace Engineering).
The team members actively contributed to the design, engineering, manufacturing, development of avionics systems, construction of mechanical subsystems, integration, and testing processes of the “CİHAN” high-altitude rocket, working collectively to further develop the project and prepare it for the competition.
The TMGM Troposphere Rocket Team will receive its second-place award in Türkiye and the Best Original Design Award, which it earned as part of TEKNOFEST 2026, at the award ceremony to be held during the TEKNOFEST events in Şanlıurfa between 30 September and 4 October.
News: Office of Information and Communication