MISSISSIPPI STATE, Mississippi USA — The Mississippi State University Rocket Team and NAR Section #695 want to announce the first MSU Space Cowboys Middle School Launch Challenge (MSLC). It will be held April 12, 2008 at Mississippi State University. The winning team will win $1,000. School teams and other groups (girl scouts, boy scouts, etc) from any state are welcome and encouraged to participate.

The Space Cowboys are currently seeking sponsors for this competition (especially ones willing to give discounts to the teams). If interested, email This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it .

The Space Cowboys are the rocket design team of Mississippi State University.

The MSU Space Cowboys Middle School Launch Challenge is a contest for middle school students (6-8th grades) to design, build, test, and fly a rocket with a scientific payload to 800 ft. AGL. Emphasis will also be placed on two written papers that will be due in the course of the contest. This contest is designed to introduce middle school students to not only rocketry, but to aspects of mission planning and teamwork coming together to achieve a successful mission. Flight reviews, budgeting, scheduling, logistics, teamwork, and safety are all important key topics (in addition to the vehicle and its flight) that will addressed in this competition.

The contest will be divided into two distinct sections: the flight of the rocket and review papers. The review papers are designed similar to what real NASA engineers have to present prior to their launches. The papers for this contest show insight that the team has gained in the course of design and construction, and testing and validation. Each paper will be 3-5 pages in length. Feedback will be received from the Space Cowboys.

The flight itself will be graded by: whether or not the team conducts themselves professionally, all safety guidelines and rules followed, successful flight, successful recovery, and altitude. Safety is paramount on launch day. Unsafe rockets or rocketeers will not be allowed to launch under any circumstances. The contest launch will be conducted in accordance with the guidelines set out by the National Association of Rocketry.

The top three winners of the contest will receive a cash prize in the name of their school/organization. The total purse for this contest is $1,350, with $1,000 going to the winning school. There will also be other prizes handed out on launch day.

TIMELINE
February 1, 2008 – Entry Forms Due
March 14, 2008 – Progress Reports Due
April 7, 2008 – Readiness Review Due
April 12, 2008 - Launch Day – Mississippi State University

Entry Forms maybe emailed to This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it  (MSLC Entry Form as Subject Line) or mailed to Space Cowboys, P.O. Box A, Mississippi State, MS 39762.

If participating, please send an email to This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it  as soon as possible. Include: School/Group name and contact information.

Contact Joy Sills at jes214@msstate,edu or (601)/750-0325 for more information.

Website: http://www.ae.msstate.edu/~msuslp/spacecowboys/

12-17-2007 08:06 AM  #1
Blkbart46 Builder of tube& ring fin   Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 8	Re: Mississippi State, NAR Section #695 announce new contest Need more contests like this nationwide,stressing saftey,teamwork,scientific note keeping then a paper explaining your project. Go M.S.U great job. WE NEED TO PUMP UP MODEL ROCKERTY.