Hi, my name is Jose Ascencio-Rojo
I design hardware for spaceflight.

About me View my work

ABOUT ME

Jose Ascencio-Rojo

Engineer. Builder. Rocketry Enthusiast.

I'm a Mechanical Engineering student at the University of Central Florida with a passion for aerospace structures, mechanical design, and flight hardware.

Most recently, I worked as a Centaur V Structures Design Engineering Intern at United Launch Alliance, where I designed and supported flight hardware for the Centaur V upper stage.

Outside of work, I design and build high-power rockets and mentor other students through the design, manufacturing, testing, and launch process.

I enjoy working close to the hardware I design and seeing engineering progress from CAD and analysis to manufacturing, testing, and flight.

View Resume ↗

Experience

United Launch Alliance

Centaur V Structures Design Engineering Intern

Designed and released flight hardware for the Centaur V upper stage using Siemens NX and Teamcenter, working closely with manufacturing and other engineering teams.

My work included mechanical design, GD&T, fastener selection and grip-length calculations, engineering changes, and drawing improvements supporting flight hardware.

View Experience
United Launch Alliance internship

Projects

Level 2 High-Power Rocket

Designed, analyzed, manufactured, tested, and launched a 74-inch dual-deploy high-power rocket to 2,470 ft, earning my Tripoli Level 2 certification.

Developed the vehicle using OpenRocket simulations, fin-flutter and recovery analysis, custom CAD, redundant avionics, and ground-tested deployment systems.

J270W  •  Dual Deploy  •  2,470 ft

View Project
Level 2 high-power rocket launch

Leadership

Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers

Professional Development Chair

Lead professional development programming for UCF's 250+ member SHPE chapter, preparing students for internships, recruiting, and engineering careers.

Alongside my co-chair, I lead a team of 7 directors and organize workshops focused on resumes, interviews, networking, career preparation, and professional development.

250+ Members
7 Directors
90+ Avg. ProDev Attendance

Presenting professional development programming at SHPE UCF
SHPE UCF meeting

Knights Experimental Rocketry

Level 2 High-Power Rocketry Lead

Guide 15 students each semester through the design, manufacturing, testing, and launch of Level 2 high-power rockets.

Conduct design and flight-readiness reviews covering OpenRocket simulations, stability, engineering analysis, CAD, avionics integration, ground testing, and recovery systems.

15 Students / Semester
Design & Flight Reviews
Hands-On Mentorship

Mentoring KXR Level 2 rocketry students
KXR Level 2 rocket avionics and launch preparation

Contact

Interested in connecting? I'd love to hear from you.

Email Me