1 Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC) September 23, 2012 TARC AIAA OC Rocketry

2 TARC AIAA OC Rocketry Video on line at

Team America Rocketry Challenge “Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC) provides 7 th through 12 th grade students a realistic experience in designing a flying aerospace vehicle that meets a specified set of mission and performance requirements. Students work together in teams the same way aerospace engineers do” 3 TARC AIAA OC Rocketry

What is TARC  Team America Rocketry Challenge  International Rocketry Contest  Up to 1000 teams  7 th through 12 th graders  Compete for scholarships and a trip to an Air Show in Europe a trip to an Air Show in Europe  Each year a challenge is issued Maximum weightMaximum weight Certain altitudeCertain altitude Duration of flightDuration of flight PayloadPayload  Your team designs, builds, and flies your design to meet the challenge  Top 100 teams compete in finals  Top 20 teams go on to compete in NASA Student Launch Initiative 4 TARC AIAA OC Rocketry

2012 – 2013 Challenge  Must follow NAR Safety Code  Attain an altitude of exactly 750 ft  Flight duration must be 48 – 50 seconds  Must carry one raw hen’s egg Egg must be flown “on it’s side”Egg must be flown “on it’s side” Each egg must weigh 57 – 63 gramsEach egg must weigh 57 – 63 grams The length of the egg must be 60mm or lessThe length of the egg must be 60mm or less Eggs return undamaged (not even slightly cracked)Eggs return undamaged (not even slightly cracked)  Recovery of the egg payload must be by 38 cm (15”) parachute  Rocket may be any size but must weigh less than 650 grams (23 oz) – added restrictions over 500g in California  Rocket diameter at the payload must be 60mm or more  Powered by “F” or lower motor listed in approved motors 5 TARC AIAA OC Rocketry

2012 – 2013 Scoring  Similar to golf – the lower the score the better  Target altitude is 750 ft Each foot your altitude is different costs 1 pointEach foot your altitude is different costs 1 point Accuracy is down to 1 foot measured by an on-board altimeterAccuracy is down to 1 foot measured by an on-board altimeter  Target time window is 48 to 50 seconds from liftoff until the payload section touches down In the window costs 0 pointsIn the window costs 0 points Each second your time is different costs 4 pointsEach second your time is different costs 4 points Time is measured to.01 seconds by observers on the groundTime is measured to.01 seconds by observers on the ground  Can qualify at any launch with a NAR observer Qualification flight must be declared BEFORE the flightQualification flight must be declared BEFORE the flight Each team gets 3 tries to be completed before 3/24/2013Each team gets 3 tries to be completed before 3/24/2013 One must be completed before 2/15/2013One must be completed before 2/15/ TARC AIAA OC Rocketry

Previous TARC Years YEARTop 100 AIAAResult ft, 45 sec, 1500g, 2eggs, “G” motors, any recovery rd Alternate ft, 45 sec, 1500g, 1 egg on side, “G” motors, any recovery No Joy ft, sec, 1000g, 1 egg, “F” motors, streamer th National ft, sec, 1000g, 1 egg, “G” motors, 15” parachute > SLI ft, sec, 650g, 1egg, “F” motors, parachute > SLI ft, sec, 650g, 1 egg on side, “F” motors, 15” parachute 7 TARC AIAA OC Rocketry

8 Skill: Teamwork TARC AIAA OC Rocketry

9 Communications… I know that you believe you understand what you think I said, but I’m not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant TARC AIAA OC Rocketry

10 Planning TARC AIAA OC Rocketry

11 Early Tasks TARC AIAA OC Rocketry Identify a project manager to be responsible for the team Establish a schedule with dates and stick to it Estimate your costs and your fundraising needs and methods

12 Identify Technology Areas & Leaders Identify needed areas of expertise Team members select area based on their interests Team members research their area and prepare a verbal report for the team to share their knowledge Areas of expertise might include Payload (protect the eggs) Recovery (deliver eggs from altitude) Airframe design, fins, nose cone Rocksim CAD Design Motors and ignitors Collect and analyze launch data Construction and finish Budget and fundraising TARC AIAA OC Rocketry

13 Technology leaders share research TARC AIAA OC Rocketry

14 Discuss design concepts Use the research from team technology leaders to begin your design You might want one to start out with one design, or want to test concepts with several designs You might want one joint design, or one from each of several team members TARC AIAA OC Rocketry

15 Evaluate potential designs Make use of your technology experts Long or short body Shape of nose cone Shape of fins Placement of egg payload Protection of egg payload Shape of parachute Black Powder or APCP motor Materials to use The list goes on and on The team needs to make educated decisions TARC AIAA OC Rocketry

16 A look at previous winners TARC AIAA OC Rocketry PlaceMotorWeight (grams)Length (CM) 1F F G (limit 1500g and “G” motor) 2007 (limit 1500g and “G” motor) PlaceMotorWeight (grams)Length (CM) 13 x D G F

17 A look at previous winners TARC AIAA OC Rocketry PlaceMotorWeight (grams)Length (CM) 1G F F (limit 1500g and “G” motor) 2010 (limit 1000g and “F” motor) PlaceMotorWeight (grams)Length (CM) 1F F E

18 Enter designs into Rocksim and Simulate Launches TARC AIAA OC Rocketry

19 Identify and order parts TARC AIAA OC Rocketry

20 Build your design(s) Construction is as important as design for consistency of flights TARC AIAA OC Rocketry

21 Determine how to protect your payload TARC AIAA OC Rocketry

22 Test your Payload TARC AIAA OC Rocketry

23 Test and Tune Your Design TARC AIAA OC Rocketry

24 Qualify! TARC AIAA OC Rocketry

25 TARC AIAA OC Rocketry Video on line at

26 Attend Finals near Washington D.C. TARC AIAA OC Rocketry

Top 25 teams invited to SLI  NASA Student Launch Initiative program by invitation only  Awarded to school/organization of winning team – so team members can be added  Very different than TARC – not a contest  Requires an 8 month committment  Learning opportunity working with NASA including: Design, construction, scheculing, purchasing, finance, logistics, press, educational engagement, web site development, technical documentation, scientific paylod design, testing for a reusable lanch vehiclescientific payload  Organized similar to NASA project life cycle Write response to NASA Request for ProposalWrite response to NASA Request for Proposal Write Preliminary, Critical, and Flight Readiness Reviews and present via WebEx to engineers at Marshall Space Flight CenterWrite Preliminary, Critical, and Flight Readiness Reviews and present via WebEx to engineers at Marshall Space Flight Center Tour Marshall Space Flight Center (Huntsville, AL), exhibit at Rocket FairTour Marshall Space Flight Center (Huntsville, AL), exhibit at Rocket Fair Launch your rocket in Huntsville at Bragg FarmsLaunch your rocket in Huntsville at Bragg Farms 27 TARC AIAA OC Rocketry

“Sponsoring Organization”  Teams must be attached to a non-profit organization with a youth program such as AIAA, a school, scout troop, 4H  Each organization can have up to 5 teams of 3 to 10 members each  AIAA OC Section Rocketry Teams AIAA OC Section helps with the $125 entry feesAIAA OC Section helps with the $125 entry fees We will loan you an altimeterWe will loan you an altimeter We will loan you a motor casingWe will loan you a motor casing We will give you some materials to build you rocketWe will give you some materials to build you rocket  For any team We will provide mentoring as neededWe will provide mentoring as needed We will provide a place to meet with PCs with RocksimWe will provide a place to meet with PCs with Rocksim We will provide construction materials (glue, fin jigs etc.)We will provide construction materials (glue, fin jigs etc.) We will have many launch outings to test and fine-tuneWe will have many launch outings to test and fine-tune 28 TARC AIAA OC Rocketry

Budget  Teams are responsible for their own expenses (AIAA OC Section will help per the previous slide) Some materials (cost varies)Some materials (cost varies) Transportation to the launches (gas and vehicle)Transportation to the launches (gas and vehicle) Motors ($10 - $20 per launch)Motors ($10 - $20 per launch) WHEN you make the finalsWHEN you make the finals  Air Fare to Washington DC  Hotel  Meals  Fundraising Garage SalesGarage Sales Sees candy salesSees candy sales Mary Kaye cosmeticsMary Kaye cosmetics Anything elseAnything else 29 TARC AIAA OC Rocketry

Schedule /4 – 11/30: Sign up 9/4 – 11/30: Sign up 9/23 – AIAA OC Section TAC 2013 kick-off 9/23 – AIAA OC Section TAC 2013 kick-off Sept – Dec: Design, build, and test – the earlier the better Sept – Dec: Design, build, and test – the earlier the better2013 Jan – 3/25: Refine design and continue to test Jan – 3/25: Refine design and continue to test 2/15 – Must have completed first qualification flight 2/15 – Must have completed first qualification flight 3/25 – Must have completed all qualification flights 3/25 – Must have completed all qualification flights 3/29 – top 100 teams announced 3/29 – top 100 teams announced 5/11 – Final Fly-offs near Washington DC 5/11 – Final Fly-offs near Washington DC More Information TARC AIAA OC Rocketry

31 How to proceed from here TARC AIAA OC Rocketry Team completes the “TARC 2013 Application Packet” Each team member completes the “Parent/Guardian Consent & Release Form”

Thank you 32 Questions? TARC AIAA OC Rocketry