The American Rocketry Challenge
The world’s largest student rocketry competition for grades 6–12. Teams design, build, and fly their own rocket. One flight has to hit the numbers.
Altitude target
The rocket has to hit exactly 800ft and come back down
Maximum weight
The rocket has to weigh under 650g when on the launch pad while loaded with its payload
Payload
The rocket must carry two eggs to the target altitude and return them uncracked within the target flight-time window.
Flight time
The rocket has to go up and come back down within 37-40 s
Body tube
The rocket has to use at least one 18in BT-80 body tube
Minimum rocket length
The rocket has to be at least 650mm (25.6in) long
How scoring works
Qualification and nationals flights are judged against 800 feet and a 37 to 40 second window. Two raw eggs have to survive the flight, and the rocket cannot weigh more than 650 grams at the rail. At internationals (IRC) the altitude target is secret — somewhere between 775 and 825 feet — so the vehicle has to be adjustable, not lucky.
Watch a Launch
Weather can cancel the same morning. Write us before the window if you want to be on the field.