Air Force Office of Scientific Research Supports Team America Rocketry Challenge

  • Published
  • By Vicki Stein
  • AFOSR Public Affairs
ARLINGTON, Va. --  The Air Force Office of Scientific Research here manned an exhibit and provided information to hundreds of participants and attendees at the 5th Annual Team America Rocketry Challenge national finals recently at the 250-acre Great Meadow Outdoor Center near The Plains, Virginia.

The day started off with the flyover of a F-117A Stealth fighter from the 49th Fighter Wing, Holloman AFB, New Mexico

The model rocket competition for high school and middle school students nationwide is the world's largest model rocket competition. Students learn aspects of aerospace science by designing and building "a safe and stable model rocket that lifts a fragile payload (one raw egg) to exactly 850 feet and has a flight duration of exactly 45 seconds, at the end of which it returns this payload to earth safely and undamaged.."

The top ten winning teams share a grand prize of more than $60,000 in cash and savings bonds.

AFOSR along with Army and Navy organizations participated in the event at the invitation of Director, Defense Research and Engineering officials. DDR&E helped sponsor the event on behalf of the Department of Defense. AFOSR's booth attracted a variety of special guests including Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Secretary of the Air Force Michael Wynne and Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force Dr. Ronald Sega. AFOSR booth representatives with Air Force recruiters answered many questions about AFOSR basic research programs and education opportunities.

Around 700 teams participate in the challenge representing schools and home-school programs with the top 100 teams competing in the finals A California team from Newark Memorial High School team won the Team America Rocketry Challenge with a near-perfect score. Results of the competition can be found at http://www.aia-aerospace.org/aianews/features/team_america/
scores07.cfm

The event is sponsored by the Aerospace Industries Association and the National Association of Rocketry. It is co-sponsored by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Defense Department, Civil Air Patrol, and AIA member companies. AFOSR accomplishes its mission by investing in basic research efforts for the Air Force in relevant scientific areas. Central to AFOSR's strategy is the transfer of the fruits of basic research to industry, to the academic community, and to the other AFRL directorates that carry the responsibility for applied research.