The University of Waterloo Rocketry Team has set a new world record for the highest-ever amateur liquid bi-propellant rocket to take to the skies.
The team's rocket, Polaris, soared to 63,497 feet at the 2026 Launch Canada Challenge in Timmins, Ontario, surpassing the previous record of 56,590 feet.
“Seeing the rocket launch was an experience that I cannot put into words,” says Niva Patel, a second-year Mechanical Engineering student and future technical lead on the rocketry team. “The moments before launch were the most stressful of my life, but witnessing Polaris soar into the air, hearing the callout confirming we broke the world record, and watching the parachutes deploy with the entire team cheering was unforgettable.”
Standing 17 feet long and weighing 300 pounds fully fuelled, Polaris was built with an upgraded recovery system, a more powerful engine and a structure reinforced to withstand ten times the expected deployment forces. Liquid bi-propellant rockets are significantly more complex to engineer than the solid-fuel rockets, making the record a notable demonstration of the team's technical capability.
The record caps a rapid trajectory for the team. In 2024, they built Borealis, the first Canadian liquid bi-propellant rocket, followed in 2025 by Aurora, which reached 38,000 feet. Waterloo Rocketry grads have gone on to work at SpaceX, Canada Rocket Company and Rocket Lab.
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