About Us
Team Hōkūlele, Hawaiian for “meteor,” was established in Fall 2018 by three undergraduate students as the high-power rocketry division of the University of Hawai’i Aerospace Technologies (UHAT) project. As UH-Mānoa's only high-powered rocketry-based student project, we aim to foster teamwork, innovation, communication, and leadership in all of our team members, along with promoting interest in aerospace engineering and technology.
Our Team
2024-2025
Senior Design
Abigail Macalintal
Project Manager & Competition Manager
Abigail Macalintal is a fourth-year student from Kailua, HI, pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, and will be this year’s Project and Competition Manager for Team Hōkūlele. Her interest in STEM began in middle school when she participated in an Underwater Robotics Competition. In high school, she further explored engineering through courses such as AutoCAD, Oxygen Acetylene Gas Welding, and Python coding. Over the past three summers, she has interned with Hawaiian Airlines’ Technical Operations – Project Engineering, the Institute for Astronomy (IfA) through the Akamai Workforce Initiative, and Orange Precision Measurement, INC. At UH-Mānoa, she also serves as an Undergraduate Research Assistant in the Hawaiʻi Corrosion Laboratory. Abigail hopes that this project will provide her with hands-on experience and knowledge in larger-scale rocketry and aerospace engineering, which she plans to apply in her future career after college.
Karl Merritt
Chief Engineer/Systems Integrator
Karl Merritt is a senior-year student from Kailua. His interest in mechanical engineering began in high school when he joined the Air Force Junior Reserves Officer Training Corps. From this experience, he developed a love and passion for the aerospace industry. Over the years, Karl has worked on research in Statistical Mechanics for Material Science, software development for Finite Element Analysis (FEA), and Satellite Operations. He hopes this work will provide him with hands-on knowledge and experience for the future, where he aims to work in the aerospace industry.
Amos Lam
Financial Manager, VIP Project Manager, Communications & Ground Station Subsystem Lead
Qi En Amos Lam is a fourth-year student from Honolulu, HI, and originally from Singapore. Amos is currently pursuing a Bachelors of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, and will be this year’s Financial Officer, VIP Manager, and ground station subsystem lead. His STEM journey began in middle school when he participated in his school’s Science Olympiad team and later, his school’s Botball team. Upon graduating high school, he was conscripted into the Singapore Army where he was chosen to become a non-commissioned officer with specialization in signals, eventually being assigned as a Land Rover Re-Broadcasting Station detachment commander where he gained experience using VHF radios. Since enrolling at University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, he has been involved in a Hawaii’s Aspiring Aerospace Engineers Academy (HAAEA) research project, volunteered for previous Team Hōkūlele teams, and is currently in an internship with Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard. Amos hopes to use his experience to further himself within the aerospace industry.
Micah Zeller
Structure Subsystem Lead
Micah Zeller is a fourth-year student from Pearl City, HI pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, and will be this year’s Structure Subsystem Lead for Team Hōkūlele. His interest in the STEM field started in his Freshman year in high school when he had the opportunity to learn about the various careers that an engineer could pursue and about the application of math and science in a real life problem solving environment. Over the past three years, he has had the opportunity to intern at Burns and McDonnell and Pan-Pacific Mechanical, as well as pursue self paced research through Hawaii Aspiring Aerospace Engineers Academy. Micah is looking forward to gaining firsthand experience and a deep grasp of aerospace engineering and eventually pursue a career in this field.
Koa Yasui
Recovery Subsystem Lead
Koa Yasui is a senior-year student from Honolulu, HI, and originally from Tokyo, Japan. He will be the recovery and avionics subsystem lead for this year’s Team Hōkūlele. Koa’s interest in the rocketry field began when he volunteered for the 2022 -2023 Team Hōkūlele as a member of the payload subsystem. He has previously experienced CAD modeling and 3D printing in high school, and electronics experience by disassembling and reassembling cameras and building a robot in his previous class. Koa hopes this project will provide hands-on experience and knowledge of rocketry as aerospace engineering for his future career, and success in the launch to recovery in the competition. When not busy with school, Koa enjoys surfing or traveling with his camera.
Andrew Araki
Propulsion Subsystem Lead
Andrew Araki is a fourth-year senior from Waipahu, HI, pursuing a Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. He serves as this year’s Propulsion Subsystem Lead for Team Hōkūlele. His interest in STEM began in high school with the UH Physics Olympiad, and he has since gained practical experience through internships at Consor Engineering and InSynergy Engineering. Currently, he works as an Undergraduate Research Assistant in the Hawaii Corrosion Laboratory, focusing on material corrosion for his Master’s Thesis. Andrew aims to deepen his experience in rocketry and aerospace engineering for a possible future in the industry.
Ryan Beattie
Payload Subsystem Lead
Ryan Beattie is a fourth-year student originally from Centennial, CO, pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. He will be the payload subsystem lead this year for Team Hōkūlele. Ryan has served as both a technical lead and a project manager for various engineering projects throughout his educational career and has most recently been an intern for the National Security Innovation Network. Ryan joined Team Hōkūlele because of his interest in space and spaceflight. He hopes that his experience gained throughout his academic and professional career will be valuable to Team Hōkūlele and lead to a successful mission.
Volunteers
Mikhail Brooks
Volunteer
Mikhail Brooks is a 1st year student majoring in mechanical engineering from Mililani. Mikhail is volunteering for the team from Fall 2024, and he is excited to create and learn more about rockets and gain more engineering experiences for future events.
Maria Niebuhr
Volunteer
Maria Niebuhr is a first year student majoring in Electrical Engineering from Mililani. Maria is volunteering for the team from Fall 2024, and she is excited to learn more about rockets and gain more engineering experiences.
Faculty Mentors
Dr. Trevor Sorensen
Born in Brisbane, Australia, Dr. Sorensen received his BS. (1973), M.S. (1976) and Doctor of Engineering (1979) degrees in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Kansas (KU). After graduating in 1973 he was an aircraft structural engineer for the Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base before returning to graduate school at KU. His MS thesis was to design and test, in a wind tunnel, modifications to the Pioneer Venus probes to reduce buffeting. He did his doctoral project on Pioneer Venus at NASA Ames Research Center. He then was a Space Shuttle guidance and control engineer (STS-1 & 2), worked in Mission Control as assistant Flight Director, and finally was a software engineering manager supporting Shuttle missions. In 1990 he joined Bendix Field Engineering (later Honeywell, Inc.) in Alexandria, Virginia, as Observations Manager of the Department of Defense’s LACE satellite. In 1994, Dr. Sorensen was the Lunar Mission Manager for the DoD/NASA Clementine lunar mission for which he received the NASA Medal for Exceptional Scientific Achievement. Dr. Sorensen was the program manager for the $23 million Space Systems Research & Development contract with the Naval Research Laboratory under which the USAF MSTI-3 satellite was operated. He was then technical director for the development of Honeywell’s $16 million global satellite tracking and control system, DataLynx. Dr. Sorensen was an associate professor in the KU Department of Aerospace Engineering 2000-2007. In 2007 he joined the University of Hawaii at Manoa as a specialist professor and project manager in the Hawaii Space Flight Laboratory (HSFL). In December, 2014 Dr. Sorensen and two colleagues in HSFL started a technology spin-off company from the University of Hawaii called Interstel Technologies, Inc. This company is developing and marketing a program for comprehensive mission operations called iCOSMOS that was developed at HSFL under a NASA contract. Dr. Sorensen is the CEO of this startup while maintaining his position on the UH Faculty and in the Hawaii Space Flight Laboratory. Dr. Sorensen was the author of the Space Mission Operations chapter in the highly regarded book, Space Mission Engineering – The New SMAD (Microcosm Press, 2011). He was granted tenure by UH-Manoa in 2012. He is a Fellow of the American Astronautical Society, a Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), and from 2008-2014 was on the AIAA Board of Directors as the Director of the Space and Missiles Group, which consisted of 14 technical committees. He is a member of the International Space Operations Organization from which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal.
Dr. Jacob Hudson
Dr. Hudson is a professor at the Windward Community College and a level 3 rocketeer. He has a vast knowledge of rockets, from the design to the acquisition, fabrication, and launch of rockets. His rocketry experience has helped Team Hōkūlele for many years providing the team with insight and tips to help the team succeed.
Past Members
2023-2024
Senior Design
Christopher Lee
Chief Engineer/Systems Integrator
Christopher Lee is a fourth-year mechanical engineering major at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa. Chris assumes the role of chief engineer/systems integrator for Team Hōkūlele. He hopes to apply his knowledge towards developing a successful rocket, and have a great experience throughout the entire process. In his free time, Chris loves going to the gym and eating tasty foods.]
Cynthia Nguyen
Project Manager
Cynthia Nguyen is a fourth-year student from Honolulu, HI pursuing a Mechanical Engineering degree at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Cynthia will be this year’s project manager for Team Hōkūlele. Her interest in STEM began in elementary school where she participated in the FIRST LEGO League Competition, and her interest only grew in high school, where she took an Introduction to Engineering course during her senior year. Her interest in project management stemmed from her experience as an intern for a general contractor and a transportation company. Cynthia hopes to utilize the experience she has obtained from her internships to assist the team in the successful completion of this project by the competition date.
Christian Cravalho
Financial Manager
Christian Cravalho is a senior Mechanical Engineering student at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa. He will oversee the financial management aspect for the rocket supplies, competition, and travel costs. He hopes to have a great senior year and make a lot of memories as well as do great in the FAR 51025 competition. If he has free time, he enjoys playing basketball and watching movies.
Nicholas Kwon
Structure Subsystem Lead
Nicholas Kwon is a fourth-year senior studying mechanical engineering at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa. Nick is in charge of managing the design, analysis, and implementation of the structure subsystem. He is looking forward to learning more about how to use Solidworks for 3D modeling finite element analysis. In his free time, Nick enjoys hiking. He is excited to be graduating and going on a 4 week trip around Europe next summer with his friends.
Rebecca Kim
Recovery Subsystem Lead
Rebecca Kim is a senior studying Mechanical Engineering at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa and will be this year’s recovery lead. Rebecca is looking forward to building a rocket as it will be a new experience and she hopes to gain more insights into aerospace engineering and the avionics side of it. In her free time, she enjoys reading or watching movies and shows.
Reece Hanaoka
Propulsion Subsystem Lead
Reece Hanaoka is a senior-year student at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa studying mechanical Engineering. As the lead in propulsion, Reece is responsible for validating, optimizing, and procuring the resources necessary for a propulsion system. Reece is excited to go in-depth into aerospace engineering and research more about rocketry. He hopes the knowledge and experience he has gained in his time at college will benefit the team and help make the rocket a success at launch.
Matthew Agena
Recovery Member & Payload Member
Matthew Agena is a senior Mechanical Engineering student at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa. Matthew is in charge of managing the competition deadlines and requirements, while also assisting the recovery and payload leads. He is looking forward to understanding the evolution of a project from its inception to completion and the problems solving skills he will develop as a result of this project. He hopes that the project will go as planned and the team is successful in their endeavors this year. In his free time, he enjoys playing video games and hanging out with friends.
Simon Bartos
Payload Lead
Simon Bartos is a senior Mechanical Engineering student at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa, from San Mateo, California. Simon will be this year’s payload subsystem lead and will oversee the improvements made to the payload. He hopes to learn from this experience and develop a successful rocket.
Volunteers
Karl Merritt (All subsystems)
Amos Lam (Payload)
Andrew Araki (Payload)
Micah Zeller (Payload)
Sydney Kim (Recovery / Avionic)
Tim Lovejoy (Recovery / Avionics)
Hugh Ishikawa (Recovery / Avionics)
Toshio Yoshizumi
Chief Engineer/Systems Integrator
Toshio Yoshizumi is a fourth-year student at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, studying for a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering. This will be Toshio’s first year participating in rocketry. Prior to college, he participated in FIRST Robotics Competition and VEX for five years with the Waialua Robotics team. Within the robotics program, he has gained experience designing and fabricating their own robots, where he got to use lathes, mills, CNC, waterjet, 3D printers, etc. He was also the team leader and understands the importance of his decisions to their success. Using his prior experiences, Toshio will lead his new team of college seniors as their chief engineer and systems integrator.
Evan Peng
Project Manager
Evan Peng is a fourth year student from Honolulu, HI. Evan will be this year’s project manager for Team Hōkūlele. His interest in STEM started in highschool from robotics and interest in project management from his internship with a project management company. Evan hopes to apply the experience and knowledge he has gained from his internship to aid in the timely completion of this year's rocket competition.
Cole Pelayo
Co-Financial Manager, Payload Subsystem Member, & Documentation and Photo Manager
Cole Pelayo is a fourth year senior studying mechanical engineering at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Cole served on the payload subsection of the previous years team and helped with CAD and component selections. This year Cole will serve as a co-lead for the financial management of the team. He will be responsible for raising funds, managing funds, and keeping records of all financial actions. Cole will also be assisting with the payload subsection and will be responsible for taking pictures of events as they occur. He hopes to have a great senior year and to do well in the rocketry competition ahead.
Jarrod Alejo
Co-Financial Manager & Competition Manager
Jarrod is in his fourth year of studying Mechanical Engineering at University of Hawaii at Manoa. He was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii. He will be serving as a co-lead, alongside Cole, in the financial management aspect of Team Hōkūlele. Jarrod is excited to collaborate with such intelligent and innovative mechanical engineers. He aspires to gain lots of knowledge about the mechanics as well as the industry of rocketry, as he continues to work on the project.
Linda Qu
Structure Subsystem Lead
Linda Qu is a 4th year student from Honolulu, HI. She will be this year's structure lead for Team Hōkūlele. With her interest in design, she will be responsible for improving and optimizing the rocket's structural components. She will utilize her experience in Solidworks and 3D printing to fabricate the rocket. Linda will work with her subsystem team and coordinate with the other subsystems to achieve the best iteration of the structure. She hopes to gain a lot of technical knowledge on rockets, and accomplish the common goal of the team to successfully launch at competition.
Naveen Pathika
Structure Subsystem Member & Propulsion Subsystem Member
Naveen Pathika is a 5th year senior from Maui, Hawaii, and a first-year member of Team Hōkūlele. He is focusing on the aerodynamics aspect in this year’s structural subsystem. He plans to coordinate with the team and work on gaining valuable experience about aerodynamics and rocket structure. His passion for mechanical engineering began with VEX and FIRST robotics team in High School. He plans to explore the automotive or robotics field of engineering after his degree.
Shawn Suda
Avionics/Electrical Subsystem Co-Lead
Shawn Suda is a senior from Honolulu, HI and is the Avionics/Electronics Co-lead for Team Hōkūlele. He will oversee the implementation of the internal electronic systems aboard the rocket and hopes to use this project to develop a comprehensive understanding of electronics in the field of rocketry. Shawn has previous experience in CAD, and 3D-printing, as well as in tinkering with electronic circuits in guitars and analog guitar effects pedals.
Jaynine Parico
Avionics/Electrical Subsystem Co-Lead
Jaynine Parico is a senior-year student at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, studying in Mechanical Engineering. As the Avionics/Electronics co-lead, Jaynine is responsible for research, implementation, and functionality of the subsystem. This year Jaynine is excited to gain experience in high-power rocketry to fuel her passion for aerospace technologies. When not busy with school, Jaynine enjoys playing music or travelling.
Vincent Aguilar
Avionics/Electrical Subsystem Member & Structural Subsystem Member
Vincent Aguilar is a 5th year senior at UH Manoa and this is his first time working with Team Hōkūlele. His main focus are subsystem in structural and in avionics/electrical. Once he gets his engineering degree he hopes to work for Pearl Harbor or another company that would let him travel. If he has free time you could find him in the gym as he enjoys powerlifting and maybe will try out for competition.
Ezekiel Domingo
Propulsion & Recovery Subsystem Lead
Zeke Domingo is a senior Mechanical Engineering student at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. He will oversee the propulsion and recovery systems for the rocket. With a love for physics and technology he hopes to play an integral role in this project and help guide the mission to a success.
Kenton Wong
Payload Subsystem Co-Lead
Kenton is a 4th year senior at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and will be serving as this year's payload co-leader. Kenton decided to join Team Hokulele because he was interested in rocketry and anything space related ever since he learned about bottle rockets in elementary school. This year, the payload team looks to improve upon last year's design. Kenton hopes to form stronger bonds with his teammates and produce a competition ready rocket by the end of the school year.
Lillian Shibata
Payload Subsystem Co-Lead
Lillian Shibata is a fourth-year Mechanical Engineering student and is serving as one of the co-leads for the payload subsystem team. Her interest in STEM and rocketry began in elementary school with her exposure to STEM with the Department of Defense’s (DoD) Starbase program. She hopes to use the knowledge and experience she has gained throughout her college career to aid in the design and fabrication of a payload system that will successfully integrate with the rest of the subsystems and is recovered safely after launch.
Vertically Integrated Project (VIP)
Koa Yasui
Payload Subsystem Member
Koa Yasui is a 3rd year Junior majoring in Mechanical Engineering from Honolulu, HI, and originally from Tokyo, Japan. In Fall 2022, Koa began volunteering in assisting the team as a VIP member in payload subsystem. He is excited to learn more about rockets and gain more aerospace engineering experience.
Joselito Macabante
VIP Project Manager & Payload Subsystem Member
Joselito Macabante is a 4th year senior majoring in Mechanical Engineering student from Moanalua. Joselito began volunteering in assisting the team in Spring 2021 and is now a VIP Team Member. He is a part of the payload team. He is very excited to learn more about rockets and gain more real-world engineering experience.
Karl Merritt
Structure Subsystem Member
Karl Merritt is a 3rd year Junior working under structures. Karl decided to join the team for his interest of aerospace engineering because of being around airplanes for most of his life. This is Karls first year being a VIP student and is working with the structural team to analyze the aerodynamics of the structure. Once Karl gets his bachelors, he will plan on getting a masters and work towards becoming a propulsion engineer.
Ian Ogata
Structure Subsystem Member
Ian Ogata is a 2nd year Mechanical Engineering student at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. He is a VIP team member and on the rocket's structure team. He is excited to gain experience in working on an engineering project as well as to learn more about fabrication and design.
2022-2023
Senior Design
Rhea Mae Arellano
Structure Subsystem Member
Rhea Mae Arellano is a first-year student at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, studying Mechanical Engineering. As a first-year member on Team Hōkūlele, she is a member of the structure subteam, where she learns about the rocket's design and the fabrication and manufacturing of its structural components. Before college, Rhea Mae competed in FIRST and VEX Robotics for six years with Waialua Robotics, which influenced her decision to major in mechanical engineering. On the robotics team, she served as Team Captain and Lead Construction and Design Team during her senior year in high school, allowing her to gain leadership skills and experience in designing and fabricating robots using machines like mills, lathes, waterjets, and 3D printers. Rhea Mae hopes to gain technical knowledge on rockets and experience in designing and manufacturing rockets as a result of being a member of Team Hōkūlele.
2021-2022
Senior Design
Juan Efren Enriquez
Project Manager
Juan Efren Enriquez is a 4th year senior from Waipahu, HI and this is his 4th year as a team member of Team Hōkūlele. Efren was a member of the structure, propulsion, and recovery subsystem for the past three years. He assisted in the fabrication of the past team’s one-stage and two-stage rocket and created the team’s logo. He has attended the 2021 Friends of Amateur Rocketry Competition 1030 (FAR 1030) with Team Hōkūlele and placed second with the team. Efren is currently working in the Hawaii Corrosion Lab under Dr. Hihara. This year, Efren serves as Team Hōkūlele’s Project Manager. He will oversee design, fabrication, system integration, managing the project timeline, and VIP team integration. He hopes that he will gain valuable experience in project management and insights into the aerospace industry.
Kailer Okura
Chief Engineer & System Integrator
Kailer is a fourth year student at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, studying for a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering. This will be Kailer’s second year on the team, previously he was part of the payload team, and competed in the 2021 FAR (Friends of Amatuer Rocketry) 1030 competition. This year Kailer will serve as the system engineer. He will be coordinating the integration of the various subsystems, logistics, and conducting risk, validation, and verification analysis. He hopes to have a successful season by getting to know his teammates better and competing at this year's competition.
Carter Bell
Financial Manager
Carter Bell is a 4th year Senior Mechanical Engineering and Business student from San Mateo, California. He will be this year’s Financial Manager and Recovery lead, meaning will be tasked with raising and managing all funds for the rocket as well as redesigning the rocket’s recovery methods. Last year, he aided in the payload, construction, and recovery of the rocket at the competition. He is also currently researching the effects of piezoelectric transducers on pumps to be used to sample atmosphere gasses.
Ioane “Kāhea” Burns
Structure Subsystem Lead
Ioane “Kāhea” Burns is a 5th year senior from Kohala, Hawaii, and is a first-year member of Team Hōkūlele. Kāhea is serving as this year’s structural subsystem lead. His love for mechanical engineering and background in design and fabrication began on the Kamehameha Kapālama FIRST robotics team. He also plans to use his experience from his time as an engineering technician at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard to improve and solidify his leadership abilities. In addition to mechanical engineering, Kāhea is also training towards his commercial pilot certification and is interested in investigating similarities between aviation and rocketry.
Shawn Iwane
Propulsion Subsystem Lead
Shawn Iwane is a 4th year Senior from Pearl City, HI, and is the propulsion lead for Team Hōkūlele. As propulsion lead, Shawn will be responsible for researching and selecting the optimal motor(s) for the rocket to reach the desired altitude. Shawn has gained valuable leadership experience and understanding of the design process as project manager for the satellite VIP team Ke Ao. With previous experience using CAD softwares and coding, Shawn will also be able to assist the team in other subsystems to ensure project completeness. Shawn hopes to apply the skills and knowledge acquired from all previous courses to help design, fabricate and launch a successful rocket.
Matthew Young
Payload Subsystem Lead
Matthew Young is a 4th year senior from Kaimuki, HI, and has been a member of Team Hōkūlele for two years now. He primarily helped with the design of the physical structure of the rover payload and the integration of the overall operational system. Matthew participated in the Friends of Amateur Rocketry Competition 1030 in 2021 with Team Hōkūlele and placed second with the team. This year, Matthew will continue working on the payload as the subsystem lead with the goal of redesigning and improving the overall functionality of this new iteration. He hopes that the experience he has gathered while on the team will provide valuable insight in his future endeavours in the aerospace industry.
Vertically Integrated Project (VIP)
Felisha Suela
VIP Co-Project Manager
Felisha Suela is a 4th year senior from Aiea, HI, and this is her second year as a member of Team Hōkūlele. Felisha participated in the 2021 Friends of Amateur Rocketry (FAR) 1030 competition and placed second with the team in the 30K category. Overcoming the challenges to successfully launch a rocket reignited her passion to pursue a career in the aerospace industry. Last year, she was involved in the fabrication of the two-stage rocket, recovery research, and evaluating various motors. This year, Felisha will continue to assist the structure, recovery, and propulsion subsystems. Along with her duties of supporting the subsystems, Felisha will actively fulfill her new role as one of the VIP Project Managers. She will oversee the VIP Team's activities and coordinate with the Project Manager. For this project, Felisha aims to further her interests in project management, fabrication, and design.
Kawaiiki Punua
VIP Co-Project Manager
Kawaiiki Punua is a junior from Ōma'o Kaua'i, and a second-year member of Team Hōkūlele.Last semester, Fall 2020, Kawaiiki was introduced to the VIP team and assisted the structure subsystem with design and simulation. This year Kawaiiki will be assisting the structure, recovery, and propulsion subsystems. He is excited to further his knowledge about the various aspects of rocketry and gain more experience in the engineering field.
Joselito Macabante
VIP Team Member
Joselito Macabante is a 3rd year Junior majoring in Mechanical Engineering student from Moanalua. Joselito began volunteering in assisting the team in Spring 2021 and is now a VIP Team Member. He is a part of the structure and payload team. He is very excited to learn more about rockets and gain more real-world engineering experience.
Dillon Kaneshiro
VIP Team Member
Dillon Kaneshiro is a 4th year senior from Waipio, HI and a first-year member of the Vertically Integrated Project for Team Hōkūlele. This year, Dillon will be assisting the propulsion and structure subsystems of this project. He is excited to develop his design skills using various CAD programs.
Christian Yang
VIP Team Member
Christian Yang is a sophomore from Honolulu, HI and is joining Team Hōkūlele as a new member to the Vertically Integrated Project (VIP) this year. This year Christian will be assisting the payload subsystem. He hopes to gain experience working on a team and to learn about rocketry and the aerospace industry.
Andrew Vu
VIP Team Memember
Andrew Vu is a 3rd year Junior from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and is a first-year member of Team Hōkūlele. Andrew is serving as this year’s Propulsion subsystem VIP member. He is also a Laboratory Technician at UH Manoa Department of Physics and Astronomy, where he assists researchers at UH Manoa with technical laboratory work relating to experimental physics researches, such as the Payload for Ultra-high Energy Observations (PUEO) and ANtarctic Transient Impulse Antenna (ANITA). Andrew currently wants to work in the Aeronautical and Defense Industry. Working with planes has been a part of his life so that has led him into engineering. Participating in Team Hōkūlele will help him gain more hands-on experience in which most conventional classes cannot provide.
2020-2021
Senior Design
Blake Yamamoto
Project Manager
Blake Yamamoto is a 5th year senior from Honolulu, HI and was a member of Team Hōkūlele VIP last year. Blake was the structure lead for the VIP team. He created the CAD files for a display model of last year’s rocket and various other 3D-printed rockets for test flights. Blake is also an Eagle scout from Troop 42. Blake is currently working under Dr. Hihara in the Hawaii Corrosion Lab. He is researching non-destructive sensor testing to determine the corrosion rate. Blake’s responsibilities as the current Project Manager include overseeing the project’s design, fabrication, system integration, timeline, budget, and VIP integration.
Anthony Estabillo
Chief Engineer
Anthony Estabillo is a 8th year senior from Kapolei, HI and was a member of Team Hōkūlele VIP last spring 2020. Anthony was a part of the structure team for the VIP team. As the system integrator, he is responsible for ensuring that all components of the systems will work as a whole. To do this, he will be monitoring and assisting all subsystem teams to make sure all is in order as well as meeting sub-team goals. Anthony has also previously been in a robotics team in high school, where then he competed in the robotics competition FIRST. In that time, he was able to learn how to fabricate parts and use softwares such as Autocad and Solidworks. With that experience he was able to bring that knowledge to college and pursue engineering.
Nick Ishikawa
Financial Manager
Nick Ishikawa is a 5th year senior from Ewa, HI and is the financial manager for Team Hōkūlele. As the financial manager, Nick oversees all financial aspects of the project which includes the funding, project purchases, sponsorships, etc. While being a business owner of a few small startups, Nick has gained real world experience dealing with all financial aspects of a business which is necessary for longevity and success. In addition, Nick will also be reaching out to possible grants, and sponsorships for further funding opportunities as well as manage the team’s website.
Jared Paul Austria
Payload Subsystem Lead
Jared Paul M. Austria is a 6th year senior from Kapolei, HI and is the payload lead for Team Hōkūlele. As the payload lead, Jared will oversee the entire design and fabrication of the payloads; he is also responsible for ensuring the payloads will survive flight and landing so that the payload will complete its mission. While working under Dr. Joseph Brown, Jared gained experience with SOLIDWORKS, which he used for the design and fabrication of a macroscale testbed for a femto-farad condenser microphone and is currently designing and fabricating ruggedized casing for biomedical sensors developed by another student. Jared is currently interning with the City and County of Honolulu and has gained extensive experience with AutoCAD through it.
Zachary Caldetera
Structure Subsystem Lead
Zachary Caldetera is a 5th year senior from Honolulu, HI and is the structure lead for Team Hōkūlele. Zachary participated in robotics in high school and currently assists the St. Louis Robotics Team as a mentor. With an interest in structural mechanics, he became the structural lead for the team. Zachary also has experience with CAD softwares such as Solidworks and 3D printing. As structure lead, Zachary is responsible for the structural components of the rocket which include the nose, forward, body tubes, fins, and internal structure. In addition, Zachary will also assist Aiden Guzman with the operations subsystem with the design of a shock absorber.
Gavin Custodio
Senior Design Team Member
Gavin Custodio is a 5th year senior from Mililani, HI. He is part of the payload subsystem. As a part of the payload team, he is responsible for assisting with the entire design process of the payload which includes a system of camera arrays, along with a remote controlled rover. Using past experiences with Solidworks, coding, and basics of fabrication, along with his hobby of working on cars, Gavin will help out with the research, design, fabrication and operation of the payload.
Aiden Guzman
Propulsion and Recovery Subsystem Lead
Aiden Guzman is a 4th year senior from Pearl City, HI and is the propulsion lead and the operations lead for the Team Hōkūlele 2020 project. Aiden became the propulsion lead since he showed an interest in the motor, however since the propulsion subsystem is already done, he will also be leading the operations subsystem. During the summer, Aiden did research on the rockets and the process of producing one. As the operations lead, Aiden will be checking the recovery, internal electronics and the stage separation for the rocket. Aiden will also be helping Zachary Caldetera in the structure subsystem with testing the new design of the fins. Aiden will also be working with Jared Paul Austria to ensure that all the internal workings in the rocket function properly. Currently, Aiden is working on researching motors and how he can reduce the weight on the rocket to improve the flight of the rocket, and also be finalizing the work on the electronics of the rocket.
Nhue Lac
Senior Design Team Member
Nhue Lac is a 7th year senior from Honolulu, HI and is in the payload subsystem for Team Hōkūlele. He helps the subsystem lead research and design the remote controlled rover that can survive the rocket launch and landing. He was part of Team Hōkūlele VIP in 2018-2019, thus he has experience working with the payload, he is also Level 2 certified. While working under Dr. Miguel Nunes, Nhue has gained experience in SOLIDWORKS, AutoCad Inventor and Fusion 360. Nhue is currently working at the Physics Department under Dr. Sven Vahsen to gain more experience in designing.
Vertically Integrated Project (VIP)
Leah Toma
Project Manager
Leah Toma is a 4th year senior from Honolulu, HI, and a third-year member of Team Hōkūlele. Leah was a member of the structural subsystem for the past two years and assisted with the fabrication of the team’s single-stage and two-stage rockets along with the project’s budget and fundraising. This year, Leah will participate as a member of the payload subsystem, assist with the team’s finances and website, and oversee the VIP Team’s activities. Leah gained experience in design, fabrication, and project management through participating in competitive robotics, and is currently an engineering intern at Pacific Instruments, where she hopes to earn her CWSA certification in Solidworks.
Ryan Fujimoto
VIP Team Member
Ryan Fujimoto is a 3rd year junior from Rancho Palos Verdes, CA and a first-year member of the Vertically Integrated Project (VIP) for Team Hōkūlele. This year Ryan will be assisting the payload subsystem. He is excited to learn more about the payload subsystem and gain experience in the field.
Cheng Jie Wu
VIP Team Member
Cheng Jie is a second-year sophomore Mechanical Engineering student from Honolulu, HI, and a first-year member of the Vertically Integrated Project for Team Hōkūlele. This year Cheng Jie will be assisting the structure subsystem with the fabrication and assembly of the rocket. He is excited to learn more about the intricacies of the materials and designs used in rocketry construction.
2019-20
Senior Design
ADAM MACALALAG
Project Manager
Adam James Macalalag is a 5th year senior from Barrigada, Guam and a co-founder of Team Hokulele VIP. Adam was Financial Manager and Recovery Sub-System lead for the previous year’s single-stage rocket. He was also a member of Project Imua which competed in NASA Student Launch Project (SLP) 2019. He attended the NASA SLP 2019 competition in Huntsville, Alabama and the Spaceport America Cup (SAC) 2019 competition in LasCruses, New Mexico. Although Adam was Recovery Sub-System lead he also aided in the design and fabrication of both rockets. Given past experience with two other rocket projects, Adam will be the Project Manager for FAR 2020. He will oversee design, fabrication, system integrations, and manage project timeline and budget.
MATTHEW NAKAMURA
Systems Integrator/Electronics Subsystem Lead
Matthew Nakamura is a 4th year senior from Honolulu, HI. and a co-founder of Team Hokulele VIP. In the 2019 competition team for the Spaceport America Cup Matthew served as the Systems Integrator/Chief Engineer. Matthew was also involved in the Windward Community College Team, Project Imua 6, effort to compete in the 2019 Nasa Student Launch Initiative competition held in Huntsville, Alabama. Currently Matthew is working with the University of Hawaii Applied Research Lab working on mobile sensor packages and systems. For this year, Matthew will serve as the Systems Integrator/Electronics Subsystem Lead on the 2020 Team Hokulele FAR competition effort. His task for this role will include ensuring that at the system designed will successfully achieve the requirements and serve to review any designs made by the subsystem leads. As the Electronics Subsystem Lead he will be in charge of the design of the electronics and recovery subsystem.
ERIC TAKAHASHI
Financial Manager
Eric Takahashi is a 5th year senior from Santa Cruz, CA and a co-founder of Team Hokulele VIP. Eric was the initial project manager for the previous yearʻs first rocketry team that competed in the Spaceport America Cup competition. In addition, he was also a member of the Project Imua team, which was a collaborative effort amongst the University of Hawaii Colleges funded by the Space Grant Consortium, which competed in the 2019 NASA Student Launch Initiative competition held in Huntsville, Alabama. Eric is the financial manager for this current project, and will oversee the projectʻs budget and any fundraising events or grant applications. In addition, he will assist the team with computer-aided drafting, 3D printing, and simulation analysis.
JASON BORGIDA
Propulsion Subsystem Lead
Jason Borgida is a 5th year senior from Seattle, WA and a second-year team member on the Team Hokulele VIP. Jason helped in the design and construction of the previous year's single-stage rocket that was launched in New Mexico. Jason also helped construct the test stand at Windward CC to ensure the structural integrity could survive under the stress of a high power rocket motor. Jason is the propulsion lead as he participated in the construction of the rocket motor and deployment systems of last years rocket. Jason will also be under Branden Lucas as the structures subsystem secondary. Branden and Jason will be leading the rocket design with final reviews sent to Matthew Nakamura (Chief Engineer) for approval.
BRANDEN LUCAS
Structures Subsystem Lead
Branden Lucas is a 4th year senior from Waialua, HI and a second-year member on Team Hokulele. Last year, Branden assisted in the construction of the team’s single-stage rocket that was ultimately launched in New Mexico. While working under Dr. Joseph Brown from the summer of 2018 to present, Branden has gained extensive experience with the CAD software SolidWorks, which he used in conjunction with 3D printing and CNC to prototype parts for his research on both fluid imaging and triboelectric energy harvesting systems. Additionally, Branden was selected as the grader for ME 371: Mechanics of Solids in the spring of 2018 due to his high grades in the course the previous semester. This year, Branden will be the structure subsystem lead and will be working closely with the propulsion lead Jason Borgida to design the rocket with final design reviews from Chief Engineer, Matthew Nakamura.
Vertically Integrated Project (VIP)
Rienzmel Tolentino
Rienzmel is a member of Team Hokulele’s VIP team project. He will assist the team as a member of the team.
Evan Peng
VIP Team Member
Evan Peng is a 1st year freshman from Honolulu, HI, and a first-year member of Team Hokulele. Evan is apart of the Vertically Integrated Project (VIP) for team Hokulele. Evan is the propulsion and recovery lead for the VIP team project. This year, Evan will assist as a member of structural subsystems with 6 years of experience with machinery.
Sean Santiago
VIP Team Member
Sean Santiago is a 2nd year Sophomore from Pearl City, Hawaii and apart of Team Hokulele VIP. Sean has done robotics for 8 years from elementary to highschool competing in both Vex robotics and First robotics leading his fellow team mate through the design process of each years game. Sean still goes out mentoring and volunteering at STEM events throughout the island of Oahu hoping to spread awareness of new opportunities to students. This year Sean will assist his seniors in assembling their teams rocket to be able to compete in a competition over the summer.