Washington, DC – Rep. Dave Weldon. M.D. encourages local high school students to participate in the Team America Rocketry Challenge, a national contest sponsored by the Aerospace Industries Association, the National Association of Rocketry and NASA. The contest celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Wright brothers’ first flight in December of 1903.
“This Rocketry Challenge provides a wonderful hands-on opportunity for students to explore the fields of engineering and aerospace technology while having fun,” said Weldon. “I look forward to seeing what the students in my district can create.”
The Team Rocketry Challenge requires students to design, build, and fly a multi-stage model rocket weighting less than 3.3 pounds at liftoff and that can carry two raw eggs and an electric altimeter as close to 1500 feet as possible. A fly-off competition for the top 100 teams will be held in Northern Virginia in April of 2003.
The Team Rocketry Challenge is the first national model rocket competition for high school and junior high school students with a grand prize poll of $59,000 in cash and savings bonds which will be shared by the top five teams.
The top ten teams will also compete for three $25,000 grant packages that include an all expenses paid trip for ten students or teachers to launch an advanced rocket with NASA. Each of the top 25 teams’ schools will be invited to send one teacher on an all expenses paid trip to attend an advanced NASA rocketry workshop, meet with NASA engineers, and tour the Marshall Space Flight Center.
The deadline to enter The Team Rocketry Challenge is November 15, 2002. The contest is limited to a total of 500 U.S. high school and junior high school teams. For more detailed information about the contest go to www.ROCKETCONTEST.org.
