How MIT’s Rocket, Electric Car, and Solar Vehicle Teams Have Adjusted to the Pandemic

Zain Humayun

September 24, 2020

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The Covid-19 pandemic has hit all areas of the MIT communty. Those for which in-person hands-on experiences traditionally take center stage have had to pivot in unique ways.

In this Q&A, the MIT Edgerton Center checked in with with leaders of three of the Institute's student teams that traditionally plan their activities around engineering vehicles or devices in preparation for national or international competitions. Here, juniors Max Kwon, president of the MIT Rocket Team; Jorge Nin, MIT Motorsports captain; and Aditya Mehrotra, captain of MIT Solar Electric Vehicle Team describe how the pandemic has affected their operations and plans for the future. Interviews were edited for length and clarity.

Q: Could you introduce your teams to the MIT community?

Max Kwon: The MIT Rocket team is comprised of a majority of undergraduate students, with a few graduate students. Our aim is to build a two-stage rocket that crosses the Kármán Line, which is the recognized boundary of space.

Jorge Nin: MIT Motorsports is a student team for undergrads who design, manufacture, build, and test a formula-style electric race car. At the end of the year, we end up competing against other [student] teams.

Aditya Mehrota: MIT Solar Team was founded 30 years ago, so it’s one of the oldest teams on campus. We design and build solar powered vehicles to race in international solar competitions.