Arlington, Va. – The Aerospace Industries Association’s (AIA) American Rocketry Challenge (ARC) today announced the top 100 teams that have placed in the 2026 National Finals. Among 1,107 teams registered nationwide, these groups of students from all over the United States ranked as the top performers for altitude and flight duration.
“The American Rocketry Challenge launches not just rockets, but also the careers of the next generation of aerospace innovators,” said Eric Fanning, AIA President and CEO. “Our 100 national finalists have spent the year applying creativity, precision, and teamwork to one of the most demanding STEM competitions in the country. On May 16, we’ll see their hard work take flight as they compete for the title of National Champion.”
“We are continuously evolving ARC to deliver a meaningful, yearlong experience that supports students, empowers educators, and engages mentors,” said Jessica Pedersen, Senior Director of American Rocketry Challenge & STEM Engagement. “By connecting hands-on learning to real world STEM career pathways, we help students see not just what they can do, but who they can become. None of this would be possible without the support of our sponsors and partners, whose commitment fuels curiosity and expands opportunity for young innovators.”
This year’s competition once again saw a record-breaking participation, drawing 1,107 middle and high school teams from across the nation. To qualify for the National Finals, teams designed, built, and launched custom rockets engineered to reach 750 feet in altitude and achieve a precise flight duration between 36 and 39 seconds, showcasing innovative design, advanced technology, and engineering skill.
The 2026 National Finals will take place at Great Meadow in The Plains, VA, on Saturday, May 16, where teams will face a new set of flight requirements designed to test their engineering adaptability and problem-solving skills.
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Since 2002, the American Rocketry Challenge, the world’s largest student rocket competition, has engaged more than 100,000 middle and high school students in model rocketry. The annual challenge invites students to design, build, and fly rockets to exacting requirements and gain hands-on experience solving engineering problems. Sponsored by Aerospace Industries Association, the National Association of Rocketry, and more than 15 industry, government, and academia partners, the American Rocketry Challenge is the aerospace and defense industry’s flagship program designed to encourage students to pursue study and careers in STEM. The program has launched countless careers in aerospace and defense, and its alumni are helping to engineer the vehicles that will take us back to the moon, and, one day, to Mars. For more information about American Rocketry Challenge, please visit https:/rocketrychallenge.org or connect on Instagram, Facebook, X, and LinkedIn.
