The University of Portland’s 2023-24 Rocketry Team (LaunchUP) set out to design, manufacture, launch, and recover a high-powered rocket carrying a scientific payload for inaugural participation in NASA’s University Student Launch Initiative (USLI). The competition, held in Huntsville, AL, engages students in research relevant to NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) and Artemis missions. This year’s payload mission tasked teams with designing a STEMnaut Atmospheric Independent Lander (SAIL) containing four astronaut stand-ins capable of jettisoning from the launch vehicle during descent and landing safely without a parachute. Teams were also challenged with delivering their vehicle as close as possible to an altitude of their choosing – LaunchUP aimed for 5000’. To achieve these objectives, the team developed reports and presentations detailing their vehicle and payload designs, including technical drawings, simulation results, safety analyses, and budget plans. The final vehicle was 119” long, with a 5.5”-diameter Blue Tube airframe. OpenRocket, an open-source simulation software, was used extensively throughout the design process. The payload utilized a gyrocopter-style recovery mechanism, with LEGO figurines serving as astronaut stand-ins. Three test flights were conducted, including one subscale launch. Due to damage from a test flight, the payload was not flown in the final competition. During the competition flight, the main parachute did not deploy, resulting in an unsuccessful recovery. However, the ascent was a success; the vehicle reached an altitude of 4984’, just shy of the target of 5000’. Overall, LaunchUP placed 14th out of 49 teams, an impressive achievement for a first-year team.