PRESIDIO –– Two teams from Presidio High School are among 100 national finalists in the American Rocketry Challenge, which had a record-breaking 922 teams from 45 states enter this year.
The 100 finalists will compete at the National Finals Fly-off on May 18 in The Plains, Virginia, just outside Washington, D.C. Teams are competing for the title of “National Champion” and an all-expense paid trip to the International Rocketry Challenge at the Farnborough Air Show in England as well as $100,000 in prizes. The top 25 teams will automatically receive invitations to NASA’s Student Launch workshop.
Texas has 10 teams heading to the national finals this year. Presidio High School has competed in the finals every year since 2010. The two teams from Presidio HS headed to national finals this year are: Team 1 – Sunlebu, eight students advised by Archie Saludes; Team 2 – Red Lion, six students advised by Archie Saludes.
For 2024, each team was required to design, build, and launch model rockets that safely carry one large hen egg to an altitude of 820 feet, stay airborne for between 43 and 46 seconds, and return the rocket to the ground safely. The rocket must separate into two parts after apogee — one section of the rocket must contain the egg and altimeter, and the second the rocket motor(s) — and both parts must land with their own parachutes.
The list of all 100 national finalists and the press release can be found here.
The American Rocketry Challenge is sponsored by the Aerospace Industries Association, the National Association of Rocketry, and more than 20 industry partners. It is the aerospace and defense industry’s flagship program designed to encourage students to pursue studies and careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Now in its 22nd year, the competition has inspired nearly 95,000 middle and high school students to explore education and careers in STEM fields.