About Me

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Hi! I’m Andrew Truong, an Aerospace Engineering student at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University with a passion for rocketry, aerospace engineering, and hands-on STEM education.

My rocketry journey began while I was a student at The Quarry Lane School in Dublin, California. In 2022, I founded my school’s rocketry club, originally known as Golden Gate Rocket Labs, to give students opportunities to design, build, test, and launch rockets while developing practical engineering skills. In August 2025, the school organization became the QLS Rocketry Club and merged with the school’s Astronomy Club.

During high school, I competed for three years in the American Rocketry Challenge (ARC). Through countless design iterations, launches, failures, and lessons learned, I developed a much deeper understanding of the engineering design process and the importance of persistence and teamwork.

In 2025, our team qualified for the American Rocketry Challenge National Finals. Reaching the National Finals was one of the highlights of my high-school rocketry experience and reinforced my decision to pursue aerospace engineering.

My interest in rocketry has also extended into high-power rocketry. I earned my NAR Junior HPR Level 1 Certification in March 2023 and my NAR HPR Level 2 Certification in February 2026.

As my experience grew, I began helping other students navigate the challenges I had encountered myself. I have served as an American Rocketry Challenge mentor with the Livermore Unit of the National Association of Rocketry (Section 534) and have supported student rocketry teams with rocket design, OpenRocket simulations, competition rules, launch preparation, safety, and engineering problem-solving.

As I begin my studies at Embry-Riddle, my primary focus is building a strong foundation in aerospace engineering and becoming involved in new engineering opportunities. I hope to continue supporting student rocketry and STEM education through mentorship and outreach in Florida as my academic schedule allows.

Golden Gate Rocket Labs began as a high-school rocketry initiative, but its purpose continues to evolve with my aerospace journey.

Today, this website serves as a record of my experiences in rocketry and engineering — from my first student rockets and the American Rocketry Challenge to high-power rocketry, college engineering projects, and future aerospace work.

My goal is to continue learning, building, and sharing what I learn along the way while encouraging other students to explore aerospace and engineering for themselves.

• NAR HPR Level 2 Certification — February 2026
• NAR Junior HPR Level 1 Certification — March 2023