Solid propellants based on potassium nitrate (KNO 3) and sucrose are widely used in rocketry, because they are inexpensive and easily obtainable compounds and also generate high specific thrust. In this study, the performance of propellants based on a mixture of 65 wt% KNO 3 and 35 wt% sucrose, named KNSu, was evaluated.Aluminum waste particles were loading at 2.5 wt%, 5 wt% and 7.5 wt%. Aluminum was used as a powder with an average particle size of 35 μm. Rocket engines were developed and the thrust versus time curves obtained for the samples studied. The results showed that the utilization of 5 wt% caused a 30% increase in both the specific impulse and the average gas ejection velocity when compared to KNSu. The incorporation of 2.5 wt% and 7.5 wt% caused a reduction in the specific impulse and other properties evaluated when compared to KNSu. Based on the results obtained, it is possible to state that the insertion of aluminum waste from the metalworking industry may contribute to the increase of the performance of rockets that use KNSu as a solid propellant.