The American Rocketry Challenge
The American Rocketry Challenge is the world’s largest rocket contest with nearly 5,000 students nationwide competing each year. The contest gives middle and high school students the opportunity to design, build and launch model rockets and hands-on experience solving engineering problems.
Presentation Competition
Successful launches are one thing, but can you show your work and explain how you designed your rocket? This year’s expanded Presentation Competition featured teams showing off their hard work, explaining their design, and demonstrating how test flight data drove decision making!
Submissions are due by May 7, 2021 at 11:59 PM Eastern.
2021 Updated Prizes and Awards
2021 Competition Changes and Updates
The safety of the American Rocketry Challenge community is our top priority. To protect our teams, teachers, mentors, and their families during the COVID-19 crisis, while still building the next generation of STEM leaders, we are making three key changes to the 2021 National Finals:
- TIMING: The National Finals will now take place in mid-late June 2021. This extra time will provide teams with more opportunities to build and launch their rockets. This also means that the revised deadline for qualification flights is now May 17, 2021.
- LOCATION: The 2021 National Finals will occur at ten or more regional launch sites in order to limit the number of people that gather at any one site and to minimize team travel requirements. Regional launch sites will be selected based on the location of this year’s finalists.
- PRIZES: We are reviewing our prize structure for the 2021 contest, given the cancellation of the Paris Air Show. Standby for another update unveiling new categories and cash prizes in the coming weeks.
Review the 2021 Competition Frequently Asked Questions
Have questions about the 2021 National Finals and virtual competition? We have answers. Review our Frequently Asked Questions to learn more about the updates to the 2021 competition.
The World's Largest Student Rocket Contest
Registration for the 2021 American Rocketry Challenge is now closed. Learn how your team can compete in this exciting STEM competition next year!
Learn more about the American Rocketry ChallengeThank You To Our Sponsors
Thank You To Our Partners
The American Rocketry Challenge allows me to engage and participate in a nationwide competition while learning and having fun with people that have similar likes and talents.
Kyra Wagner, Team Captain
Webster City, IA
The American Rocketry Challenge provides me the opportunity to give my students an endeavor that fosters curiosity, imagination, and scientific skills in the firmest spirit of collaborative enterprise.
Greg Severino, Teacher
Philadelphia, PA
TARC introduces students to the realities of the real world engineering pursuits, teaching them to attack not just the solvable problems but also face and learn how to mitigate the factors that they do not have control over.
Pavel Pinkas, Mentor
Madison, WI
Our Social Media
Deadline for the Presentation Competition is TOMORROW!! $5,000 up for grabs. More info here: https://t.co/0q9z5UI9pe https://t.co/484lyzzULU
Friday is your last chance to win a piece of $5,000 in prizes for the Presentation Competition. Details here: https://t.co/N1LN3dlPFp
#TARC2021 https://t.co/mj4SptcjBN
Friday is your last chance to win a piece of $5,000 in prizes for the Presentation Competition. Details here: https://t.co/N1LN3dlPFp
#TARC2021 https://t.co/mj4SptcjBN
TONIGHT! https://t.co/IMkVS0lwf8
Wondering how you can go from a degree in psychology to applying neural networks in aerospace? What about managing a team to successfully execute on a project? Get answers to these & more Thurs. 4/22 @ 8 PM ET for our Ask An Engineer webinar! Register: https://t.co/rhkwgMs3hq https://t.co/IKhh8zoVhz
Wondering how you can go from a degree in psychology to applying neural networks in aerospace? What about managing a team to successfully execute on a project? Get answers to these & more Thurs. 4/22 @ 8 PM ET for our Ask An Engineer webinar! Register: https://t.co/rhkwgMs3hq https://t.co/IKhh8zoVhz
Amazing! https://t.co/HTylNuGuv2
It happened. Today our #MarsHelicopter proved that powered, controlled flight from the surface of another planet is possible. It takes a little ingenuity, perseverance, and spirit to make that opportunity a reality: https://t.co/oT3rrBm6wj https://t.co/u63GKshp0G
Want to learn about all the different paths a career in aerospace can take and what you can do to get there? Join @ElbitSystemsUS engineers Alyssa, Kaitlin, and Ashley on April 22 for our next "Ask an Engineer" webinar series. RSVP: https://t.co/E19sa6kGQN https://t.co/HByJJNKBM1
Get In Touch
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