 2015-2016 contestants 2015-2016 entry |
 2015-2016 entry 2015-2016 contestants |
2016-2017 Space Grant Midwest High-Power Rocketry
Competition
The Minnesota Space Grant Consortium (MnSGC) announces its intention to run a Space Grant Midwest High-Power Rocket Competition (formerly called the Space Grant Midwest Regional Rocket Competition and previously run by the Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium) during the 2016-2017 academic year. This competition will be held in the midwest but is open to college/university student teams from across the nation. This competition is an opportunity for students to design and construct custom high-power rockets to be launched in May of 2017 from a Tripoli MN launch site near North Branch, MN, about a one hour drive north of Minneapolis/St. Paul.
In this competition
college/university student teams will design and
construct an “adaptable” single stage, dual deploy
high-power rocket system that will fly to the same
highest possible altitude on two motors (one I-class
and one J-class, or else one J-class and one
K-class) that are as different as possible from one
another. The rocket
must be recovered safely and in flyable condition.
The students must predict the rocket’s flight
performance (with each selected motor) and
construct a non-commercial on-board data
collection package for the rocket that will
directly measure velocity versus time, for
comparison with data collected by a commercial
rocketry altimeter, as well as sense and log
airframe separation and parachute extration from
the airframe for both drogue and main parachute
deployments, and also collect up and down video
from outside the airframe to certify expected
(i.e. primary, not backup) drogue and main
parachute full deployment.
Logistical questions may be directed to James
Flaten, MN Space Grant, U of MN, flate001@umn.edu.
Technical questions may be directed to Gary Stroick,
Tripoli MN, president@offwegorocketry.com.
INDUSTRY SPONSORS:
IMPORTANT DATES:
1. September 27, 2016, 7 to 8 p.m. CST (repeated January 19, 2017, 7 to 8 p.m. CST): Informational telecon -- contact James Flaten for call-in information
2. October 3, 2016: Obtain own state's Space Grant "sponsorship" and submit "Notice of Intent to Compete" letter (all teams, even those not starting to work till winter/spring)
3. January 27, 2017: $400 Registration Fee due (must pay more (later) if the two motors selected cost over $100 total)
4. January 31, 2017: Date by which all judges should be identified. Each state sponsoring more than one team needs to provide ONE judge. States may bring a judge from their own state or work with Gary Stroick or Tripoli MN to identify a local person to serve this role.
5. May 20-21, 2017 (Saturday/Sunday): (Afternoon/evening) oral presentations and safety checks (first day) then all-day launch competition plus evening social event (second day)
6. May 22, 2017 (Monday): Alternate (weather delay) launch date
Document archive for 2016-2017 "Adaptable Rocket" competition
NEW: Motor Announcement
allowing use of non-Cesaroni motors (posted January 4,
2017):
Announcement of Competition (posted August 30, 2016):
Handbook for Competition (version 2, with "Motor Announcement", posted January 4, 2017):
Slides for Informational Telecon:
Q and A documents:
(Non-Binding) "Notice of Intent to Compete" Template (due Oct. 3, 2016, mail form to James Flaten at flate001@umn.edu):
Reports by a past year's winning team (from U of MN - Duluth) - optional reading:
Instructions for paying
the $400 Registration fee, due January 27, 2017:
Information about hotels
and camping options, plus stores (like hardware
stores) and other "local attractions"
Last Modified: 2017-04-26 at 12:51:06 -- this is in International Standard Date and Time Notation