UPC Space Program Partners with GridPro’s Advanced Meshing Software to Drive Supersonic Rocket and Liquid Engine Simulation
Terrassa, Spain & Miami, U.S.A — October 09, 2025
The UPC Space Program (UPCSP), a student-led aerospace association at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), is proud to announce a collaboration with PDC, the developer of advanced multiblock structured grid generation software GridPro. The partnership will enhance UPCSP’s ability to perform high-fidelity computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations in support of its flagship rocket projects.
Founded in 2016, UPCSP has become a hub for interdisciplinary aerospace projects, currently operating four active missions: ARES(sounding rockets), GRASS(planetary rover), ATLAS(hyperdrone), and HORUS (educational CubeSats).
Within its ARES mission, UPCSP is advancing two cutting-edge projects:
MK Project – Spain’s first student-built liquid-fuel rocket engine, a demonstrator featuring innovative technologies including bioethanol propellants, an augmented spark igniter, regenerative cooling, and a pintle injector. The project aims to deliver valuable propulsion data and foster experience with advanced aerospace systems.
DUC Project – A three-meter-long supersonic rocket built primarily from carbon fiber, designed to compete in EuRoC 2025, Europe’s leading rocketry competition organized by the Portuguese Space Agencyand endorsed by ESA. DUC incorporates modular design, advanced avionics, and an active airbrake system for precise trajectory control.
The Role of GridPro
GridPro’s advanced meshing tools will allow UPCSP to:
• Improve Aerodynamic Modeling of DUC – Generating reliable meshes for the rocket body and airbrake systems to capture flow perturbations and drag forces with higher fidelity than previous meshing tools.
• Enhance Propulsion Simulations for MK – Supporting CFD studies of pintle injector atomization and near-wall boundary layers, critical for predicting wall heat flux and cooling requirements.
• Provide Research-Grade Results – Ensuring accuracy in both aerodynamic optimization and propulsion system analysis, helping UPCSP validate its designs for competition readiness and research impact.
Mutual Benefits of the Partnership
As part of this collaboration, UPCSP will:
• Provide academic visibility for GridPro through its website, technical presentations, and social media.
• Feature GridPro’s logo in project documentation, promotional material, and at competitions.
• Produce a dedicated technical video demonstrating how GridPro enhances rocket and engine simulations.
• Promote GridPro within UPC’s academic community, encouraging undergraduate and MSc theses involving advanced CFD.
In return, GridPro will provide UPCSP with academic licenses and technical support, ensuring that students have access to industry-grade tools as they prepare for international competitions and research contributions.