American Rocketry Challenge
The American Rocketry Challenge, the world’s largest student rocket competition, has engaged over 100,000 middle and high school students in model rocketry. The challenge provides a yearlong opportunity to gain hands-on engineering experience by designing, building, testing, and launching model rockets to meet rigorous requirements. The program fosters leadership, teamwork, and problem-solving skills as students deepen their interest and passion for aerospace and STEM.
Boy Scouts Troop 74 Soars to a First-Place Victory at International Rocketry Challenge
The “Troop 74 Rocketeers” won the opportunity to represent the United States by securing the title of National Champion at the 23rd annual American Rocketry Challenge National Finals in May. The team bested a record-breaking 1,001 middle and high school teams who participated in the design, build, and launch competition.
New Jersey Team Named National Champion in World’s Largest Rocketry Challenge
Boy Scouts Troop 74, whose team name is “The Troop 74 Rocketeers,” outperformed a record-breaking 1,001 teams that entered the competition at the start of the year and bested the top 100 teams competing at National Finals on Saturday. This is the team’s first time qualifying for National Finals. Their precision in designing, building, and launching a model rocket was unmatched by any other team in the country.
2025 Finalists Announced: Top 100 Teams Ready for Launch in the World’s Largest Student Rocketry Competition
To qualify for the National Finals, participating teams designed, built, and launched model rockets that safely carry two raw eggs to an altitude of 790 feet, stay airborne for between 41 and 44 seconds, and return the rocket to the ground safely. The requirements for the National Finals will be modified to introduce a new challenge to the teams. Competition finalists will compete for $100,000 in prizes and the prestigious title of National Champion. The winning team will then represent the United States and compete at the International Rocketry Challenge in June at the Paris Air Show.
American Rocketry Challenge Teams Up with the United States Space Force to Propel STEM Education to New Heights
The American Rocketry Challenge and USSF unite in a shared mission to ignite a passion for STEM among American middle and high school students. By engaging with ARC students, the USSF cultivates top-tier talent, inspiring future leaders who may one day serve and propel advancements in space technology.
Attend National Finals
National Finals will take place on May 16th, 2026 at Great Meadow in The Plains, Virginia. Student teams who have designed, built, and launched their rockets into the Top 100, will compete for the title of National Champion. More information will be posted here in the Spring 2026.
Boosting Rocketry Dreams: 14 Student Teams Awarded STEM Innovation Grants for World’s Largest Youth Rocketry Competiton
The Aerospace Industries Association’s American Rocketry Challenge awarded 14 STEM Innovation grants to Title I schools in 11 states and the District of Columbia. These grants further underscore the association’s commitment to empowering students in STEM. Click below to read more!
See the 1,001 Teams for the 2025 Challenge!
The 2025 competition features 1,001 teams from 46 states and Washington, DC. Click below to see the full team list and a map of this year’s competitors.
2025 Rocketry Starter Kit
Get all the details for the 2025 competition including this year’s challenge, scoring, suggested schedule of activities, rocketry vocabulary, and a sample letter for potential team sponsors.
Alabama Students Crowned National Champion in World’s Largest Rocketry Challenge
Tharptown High School from Russellville, Alabama earned the title of National Champion at the world’s largest rocketry competition, the American Rocketry Challenge. Tharptown High School bested a record-breaking 922 teams that entered the competition at the start of the year and the top 100 teams competing at National Finals on Sunday, designing, building, and launching a model rocket with greater precision than any other team in the country.
American Rocketry Challenge alum turned NASA Astronaut Warren “Woody” Hoburg joined the thousands of people in attendance. It was a full circle moment for Hoburg as he competed in the National Finals of the inaugural American Rocketry Challenge in 2003 as a member of his high school team.
2024 National Finals Results
See the full results from the 2024 National Finals.
Rocket Contest Alum Travels to International Space Station
On March 2, 2023, American Rocketry Challenge alum Warren “Woody” Hoburg launched to the International Space Station as the mission pilot for a six-month mission as part of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6. Woody participated in the first-ever American Rocketry Challenge in 2003, then known as the Team America Rocketry Challenge, as a North Allegheny High School (Pennsylvania) team member, alongside his brother.
The World's Largest Student Rocket Competition
Compete against hundreds of teams nationally for the chance to win $100,000 in prizes and an all-expenses paid trip to the Paris Airshow.
Learn more about the American Rocketry ChallengeThank 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
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