HUNTSVILLE, Alabama USA — NASA announced Thursday that Utah State University won its college Student Launch Initiative competition held here April 19.

The winners receive $5,000 and an invitation from NASA to a space shuttle launch at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The rocketry challenge, sponsored by ATK Launch Systems of Brigham City, Utah, and Huntsville, was organized by the Academic Affairs Office of Marshall Space Flight Center. The challenge required students to design and build a reusable rocket to carry payloads 1 mile high and return them to Earth. The students were judged in a launch event, held at Bragg Farms in Toney, and were judged on design, flight data and a final written report analyzing the payload results and experience.

"These students are seeing practical applications for the whole spectrum of their math, science and technical classroom work," manager of Marshall's Academic Affairs office, Tammy Rowan, said.

Alabama A&M University, Auburn University, Mississippi State University, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Harding University, University of North Dakota, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Fisk University, Vanderbilt University and the College of Menominee Nation also participated in the competition.

Copyright © 2008, The Huntsville Times.