It really Is rocket science: How USW student Morgan is reaching for the stars

When Morgan Jones first spotted the University of South Wales (USW) Rocketry Society at Freshers’ Fair, he was drawn in by a giant rocket that stood proudly on the society's stall.

What he could not have known at the time was that joining the society would help shape his university experience, accelerate his learning, open doors to industry connections, and eventually see him take on a leadership role himself.

Before joining USW, the 21-year-old Aerospace Engineering student from Brecon studied at Gwernyfed High School near Brecon, where he completed A-levels in physics, maths, chemistry, and computer science, Morgan arrived at USW with a passion for STEM subjects and a growing interest in aerospace technology.

Now entering the next stage of his Aerospace Engineering degree, Morgan has just finished his first year after completing a foundation year and says he was immediately excited when he learned USW had a Rocketry Society.  

“I really like rockets,” he said. “At an applicant day they mentioned a bunch of different societies and the Rocketry Society was mentioned. I thought that looked cool and decided to keep an eye out for them. Then at Freshers’ there was a table with a gigantic rocket and I was straight over there.”

After meeting members of the society and signing up, Morgan quickly found a group of like-minded students who shared his enthusiasm for engineering, technology, and space exploration.

And what began as a simple interest soon became an important part of university life, with Morgan finding a social community and an outlet for his passion for engineering projects in the Rocketry Society.

“It’s a nice outlet for the type of person I am,” he said. “I like to fixate on things and it gives me projects to work towards. Right now I’ve got a project where I’m making my own flight computer.”

The society has also given Morgan opportunities to design, build, and test systems that go far beyond the classroom, allowing him to apply theoretical concepts to real engineering challenges.

Through practical projects, launches, and competitions, Morgan has developed valuable technical skills while gaining confidence as an engineer.

Perhaps most significantly, his involvement has strengthened his academic performance. Morgan says many topics introduced in lectures are concepts he has already encountered through rocketry projects.

“I’ve learned a lot of control theory already, but I don’t start that particular subject at uni until next September, so I’m already ahead of the curve,” he said.

The same has been true in thermal fluids and propulsion-related topics.

“When they wanted to do stuff like nozzles and exhausts, I was like, ‘I already know about all that’.”

As well as technical knowledge, Morgan believes the society has helped him develop the softer skills that are essential in engineering careers.

“It’s helped quite a lot with teamwork, attitude towards work, and attitudes towards problem solving,” he said. “A lot of the time, what we do is not actually very complicated, but It’s about figuring things out and working through problems together.”

Away from the workshop, the society also provides a strong social network.

“We have a lot of fun with it whilst working,” Morgan said. “Behind closed doors we’re probably not as serious as some people think.”

That balance between hard work and friendship has helped create a close-knit community that continues to attract students from a wide range of backgrounds. Morgan is particularly proud that the society welcomes anyone who is interested, regardless of their prior experience.

“I didn’t know a single thing about rockets before I joined the society and I’m running it next year,” he said. “Just because you don’t know anything about rockets, come along anyway.”

This camaraderie has helped the society to a number of successes - over the past two years it has achieved third place and then second place at the National Rocketry Championships (NRC), while also securing second place at the Mach-25 competition held at Machrihanish Air Base in Scotland.

These achievements have given students opportunities to travel, test their designs, and compete against other universities from across the UK, while showcasing the quality of engineering talent being developed at USW.

The competitions have also helped the society build valuable relationships with employers operating within the space and aerospace sectors.

Morgan has met professionals from organisations, through society activities and competitions. Those connections have offered insights into future careers and potential opportunities for internships, industry placements, and to build genuine professional relationships.

“They’ve mentioned that they’re interested in getting us in for internships or possibly industry years,” Morgan said. “We’ve met them multiple times and they know us by our names at this point, which is a really great connection to have.”

Looking ahead, Morgan admits he has not yet settled on a specific career path, but his destination is clear.

“I don’t completely know what I want to do,” he said. “I do know what I enjoy, though, and that is rockets and space technologies.”

As he prepares to lead the Rocketry Society next year, Morgan is also determined to ensure future students benefit from the same opportunities that helped him grow.

“If you can get into a rocket society, you really can improve your entire university experience.” he said.“The Rocketry Society has become far more than an extracurricular activity. It has provided friendship, practical experience, academic support, leadership opportunities, and direct connections to industry.”

 

Caption: Morgan Jones (third from left) with other members of the USW Rocketry Society.