Rocketry Planet

MAHTOMEDI, Minnesota USA — Call it an extreme version of egg drop.

Mahtomedi High Schoolers earned the opportunity to compete in the national Team America Rocketry Challenge May 16 near Washington, D.C.

The Mahtomedi High School rocket design team performs a successful launch on Friday, May 8, prior to competing in the national Team America Rocketry Challenge May 16 near Washington, D.C. Photo and video by Paul Dols.

The challenge: design a rocket that weighs less than 3.3 pounds that flies for 45 seconds and reaches a height of 750 feet. And the rocket must hold a raw egg that that lays horizontally and returns to the earth uncracked.

Led by teachers Scot Hovan and Bryan Farmer, two teams of Mahtomedi students started designing rockets last fall using RockSim — a model rocket design and simulation software.

After testing numerous designs on the computer, Hovan’s team of upperclassmen chose to build a rocket that uses furniture foam to protect the egg, separates in the middle, and deploys a parachute out the back. Its design scored well enough to earn an invite to compete in nationals.

There is no regional qualifiers, rather National Association of Rocketry representatives visit each of the participating groups and score qualifier launches. Teams are scored based on closely their rocket gets to 45 seconds and 750 feet. If the egg breaks, the team is disqualified. Mahtomedi’s best run was 756 feet in 39.5 seconds.

The top 100 scorers in the U.S. earn a spot in the national competition.

Grants from New Town Solutions, 3M and the Zephyr M club helped fund the rocket materials and trip to D.C. The team’s six most dedicated members are making the trip. The travelers hope to squeeze in trips to the White House and other D.C. and marks, and also a visit to the Steven Udvar-Hazy Center – part of the National Air and Space Museum.

Copyright © 2009, White Bear Press.