Make an Impact in STEM

Sponsors and Partners

Since 2002, the American Rocketry Challenge, the world’s largest student rocket competition, has engaged nearly 90,000 middle and high school students in model rocketry. Presented by the Aerospace Industries Association and the National Association of Rocketry, the annual challenge invites students to design, build, and fly rockets to exacting requirements and gain hands-on experience solving engineering problems. The program has launched countless careers in aerospace and defense, and its alumni are helping to engineer the vehicles that will take us back to the moon, and, one day, on to Mars.

The American Rocketry Challenge celebrated its 20th Anniversary in 2022. As we enter our second decade of programming, we are working to take the program to new heights and develop a more diverse workforce pipeline with partnerships focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion.

The American Rocketry Challenge is made possible thanks to our amazing sponsors and partners. If your company is interested in sponsoring the world’s largest rocket contest, please review our sponsorship information and contact our team.

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If you’d like to learn more about sponsoring the American Rocketry Challenge, contact our team and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible!

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Building A Diverse Talent Pipeline

STEM Innovation Grant Program

The American Rocketry Challenge’s STEM Innovation Grant Program provides funding, mentorship, and hands-on materials for new, at-need schools to take their first steps into aerospace and rocketry. Each year, up to 25 schools receive grants of $2,000, along with rocketry mentors and professional aerospace mentors to help guide them to success.

Girl Scouts of the USA

This year, with support from the Aerojet Rocketdyne Foundation, we partnered with the Girl Scouts of the USA to encourage councils and troops from across the country to compete in the challenge. The partnership aims to expand girls’ experience in STEM, and increase the representation of women in engineering, aerospace, and other STEM fields. A specially designed patch will be distributed to all Girl Scouts who participated in the 2022 American Rocketry Challenge.

Community Partnerships

The American Rocketry Challenge has reaffirmed its commitment to building a more diverse STEM talent pipeline for the A&D industry by developing formal partnerships with the Girl Scouts of the USA, National Society of Black Engineers, and Women in Aerospace, among others.

Events

The National Finals Fly-Off
The National Finals Fly-Off is the final competition in the American Rocketry Challenge, where the top 100 teams from across the country compete for a $100,000 prize pool and the title of national champion. Besides team launches, the family-friendly day includes an exhibitor area with hands-on activities and displays.

Rockets on the Hill
Students attending the National Finals are invited to Rockets on the Hill, a reception on Capitol Hill where teams exhibit their rockets and engage with Members of Congress and their staff. Ahead of the reception, students are assisted in making appointments with their representatives.

Marketing and Presentation Competitions
All teams participating in the American Rocketry Challenge can also enter into our associated competitions. In our Marketing Competition, teams create videos up to two minutes in length showcasing their achievements and exciting other students to participating in the competition. In our Presentation Competition, teams provide a rigorous briefing on the engineering and testing processes behind their rocket.

Thanks to our 2023 Sponsors and Partners