Rocketry Programs
Jr. High Power Rocketry Information. Ages 14-17 years old
High Power Rocketry Info
Jr. High Power Information
Jr. High Power Study Bank Questions
Section A – NAR Jr. HPR Level 1 Participation Program
Section B – FAA Regulations; FAR 101 Subpart C
Section C – NAR High Power Rocketry Safety Code
Section D – Technical
Junior HPR Participation Program Application
Digital Junior Level 1 HPR Certification Form
High Power Rocket launch, May 11th at Agua Blanca
Launch Information Page
- Our group will plan to meet at the launch site between 3:00-3:30. From Gilbert AZ, Plan about 1 hour and 45 minute drive to the site. Drive a higher clearance vehicle is recommended.
- Bring water, snacks, a canopy, and lawn chairs.
- There is a $20 fee for all students who plan to attempt their HP cert flight.
- There is a $10 fee for all spectators.
- You can use the “Laund Information Page” link at the top to pay the fees.
The Certification Process.
- Certification Process and Documentation
- The JrHPP Candidate must take and pass a JrHPP Written Exam prior to their JrHPP Level 1 certification flight attempt.
- The certification flight may be accomplished at any launch where sufficient individuals meeting the requirements of Section 5 are available.
- FAA regulations requiring notification or waivers must be complied with and the launch site must have a FAA waiver for high power models (greater than 3.3 pounds launch weight and/or 4.4 ounces of propellant) in effect at the time of launch. All conditions and restrictions imposed by the FAA must be satisfied and followed.
- The JrHPP Candidate must build the rocket that they wish to use for their certification attempt. The model may be either scratch built or a kit and the rocket must be constructed in such a manner that it will perform safely under the additional stress of a HPR motor. Youth Teams attempting to certify cannot use the same rocket, but rather are required to each build their own model. In addition, the member must use an active recovery system for their certification attempt, which usually includes parachute recovery; details of these recovery methods are described in the Definition of Active Recovery.
- The JrHPP Candidate must demonstrate their ability to build and fly a rocket containing at least one H or I impulse class motor. Cluster or staged models used for certification may not contain over 640.00 Newton seconds total impulse. In the case of a cluster or staged model, at least one of the individual motors must be an H or I impulse motor. Combinations of smaller impulse motors that add up to meet the impulse requirements do not qualify as the model does not contain at least one H or I impulse motor. Single use or reloadable motors are permitted (no hybrids). Due to regulations, the JrHPP Candidate MUST NOT HANDLE THE MOTOR. The motor must be handled by the certified Flier of Record at all times. However, it is encouraged that the JrHPP Candidate instruct their certified Flier of Record in the assembly of a reloadable motor, if one is used for the certification flight. The JrHPP Candidate can install the motor retention system once the Flier of Record has placed the motor inside the motor mount of the rocket.
- The JrHPP Candidate and their recognized Adult Guardian must complete the Applicant Information portion of a NAR Junior High Power Participation Program Application prior to the certification flight attempt.
- The certified Flier of Record must understand that they are assuming full responsibility and liability for the flight as if it were their own and complete the fields in the Flier Information box on the NAR Junior High Power Participation Program Application. The JrHPP Candidate can be listed on the flight cards and announced as the owner of the rocket.
- The Flier of Record must be present when the JrHPP Candidate delivers the rocket to the RSO for pre-flight inspection and placement on the launch pad. The model will be subjected to a safety inspection prior to flight. A Junior HPR Participation Program Checklist is located on the back of the NAR Junior High Power Participation Program Application. The Certification Team will ask the JrHPP Candidate the checklist questions and mark the boxes as appropriate. Also during the safety inspection, the JrHPP Candidate will be expected to provide oral answers to technical questions related to the safety and construction of their model. The questions may include (but not limited to) identification of the model’s center of gravity and center of pressure, methods used to determine model stability, and interpretation of the rocket motors designation. Once satisfied, the Certification Team will fill out/check the appropriate blocks under the Certification Checklist prior to flight.
- The JrHPP Candidate will fly their model. The flight must be witnessed directly by the Certification Team. Stability, deployment of the recovery system, and safe recovery will be considered when evaluating safety of the flight. Models experiencing a catastrophic failure of the airframe, rocket motor, and/or recovery system (e.g., shock cord separation) will not be considered as having a safe flight.
- The model must be returned to the Certification Team directly after flight for inspection to verify engine retention and for evidence of any flight-induced damage. The Certification Team will check the appropriate blocks in the HPR Level 2 Checklist indicating that a safe flight was made and that the post-flight inspection was satisfactory. In general, the guideline for acceptable flight damage is that the model could be flown again without repair. It is left to the judgment of the Certification Team to differentiate between flight damage and “normal” maintenance to assure reliability (e.g., shock cord replacement to prevent future flight problems). “Zippering” of the body tube is another area of flight damage left to Certification Teams judgment for acceptability.
- The Certification Team will fill out and sign the Certification Affidavit to indicate that the certification attempt was successfully completed. One of the Certification Team members will also fill out the NAR Junior HPR Level 1 Temporary Certification card at the bottom of the NAR Junior High Power Participation Program Application. Both the certification sheet and the certification card must be signed. Except as noted below, the completed NAR Junior High Power Participation Program Application and the JrHPP Level 1 Exam Answer Sheet will be returned to the JrHPP Candidate after the flight.
- NOTE: It is up to the JrHPP Candidate and the Certification Team to ensure that the NAR Junior High Power Participation Program Application is correct and complete. Incorrect/incomplete applications will delay completing the certification process by the NAR on the JrHPP Candidates NAR account.
- The JrHPP Candidate must now fill out the Digital Junior Level 1 HPR Certification Form. The digital form is basically an electronic copy of the NAR Junior High Power Participation Program Application and is meant to ensure the information submitted is both complete and legible. The JrHPP Candidate will include scans/photos of both sides of the completed NAR Junior High Power Participation Program Application as well as the signed, completed Exam Answer Sheet as directed on the digital form.
- NOTE: If the JrHPP Candidate does not have a computer and/or access to the internet, it is up to them to get a Certification Team member to complete the digital form on their behalf.
- Upon submission of the digital form, the NAR will receive the information required for processing the certification as well as the backup scans/photos.
- The NAR will email the Certification Team member(s) to confirm the successful certification attempt by the JrHPP Candidate. Upon confirmation, the NAR will complete the certification processing and update the members NAR account with their JrHPP Level 1 status.
- The release of a new NAR membership card will be initiated showing the members new JrHPP Level 1 Certification.
- NOTE: Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery before contacting the NAR about missing cards.
- The NAR Junior HPR Level 1 Temporary Certification card is valid for 60 days after the certification date or until the end of the NAR member’s membership, whichever comes first. The temporary card is recognized as proof of the certification level. The temporary card should be destroyed upon receipt of a new NAR membership card which shows the JrHPP Level 1 Certification status.
- When the JrHPP Member turns 18 years of age, the adult supervision requirements are lifted and the HPR Participation level converts to that of a NAR Senior member with a HPR Level 1 Certification. At that time the member also becomes eligible to attempt their NAR L2 HPR certification.
STEM+C 2024
Rocketry Challenge.
The STEM+C Rocketry Challenge Explained
The STEM+C Rocketry Challenge is for students in grades 9-12.
Objective:
Students working in pairs (2 students per rocket), will design, then build a rocket to carry one egg to an altitude of 400 feet, the flight must be completed from lift off to touch down within 20-23 seconds. The egg must return to earth, unbroken.
Eligibility:
High School teams are eligible to compete in this challenge. Teams may have as many students as possible. If a school has 20 students on a team, then that team would be building 10 rockets, 2 students per rocket. The team would fly 10 rockets for the competition. If a school has an odd number of students, one team will be allowed 3 students.
For 2024 we will only be taking 10 high school teams from Arizona Schools.
Competition Rules:
- Body Tube Size: Recommended size is either BT70 or BT80.
- Altimeter: Schools must purchase an altimeter. A minimum of 2-3 is suggested in case of loss. The Estes altimeter is an approved and affordable option. [Insert hyperlink for recommended altimeter]
- Rocket Stage: The competition requires a single-stage rocket design.
- Rocket Recovery: Rockets must return as a single piece upon descent.
- Egg Payload: Each rocket must carry one egg, weighing between 55g to 61g.
- Parachute Restrictions: Use of garbage bag parachutes is prohibited.
- Margin: A margin of 1.0 to 2.0 must be maintained.
- Launch Buttons: Rockets must utilize 1/4 inch launch buttons.
- Egg Safety: The egg must remain unbroken and within the rocket upon return.
Rocket Inspection:
Each rocket must pass an initial inspection. We will be looking at the rocket to ensure that the motor is secure and will not fall out of the motor mount after the ejection charge is fired. Fins must be adequately secured to the rocket, and fins should be aligned parallel to the rocket. The nose cone or separation point for parachute deployment should be loose but not too loose. Students must present their RocSim CAD or Open Rocket CAD. The Rocksim margin should be between 1.0 and 2.0. The Open Rocket CAL should be between 1.0 and 2.0. If a rocket fails an inspection, the inspector will issue guidance about how to fix the rocket, and what changes need to be made, and why the changes need to be made. After passing the initial inspection, the rocket will be given a green tag for flight. Each subsequent flight will require an additional pre-inspection. The pre-flight inspection is just to make sure that the rocket is safe for flight.
Test Flights:
Teams are not required to conduct test flights. On competition day, each rocket will get 3 flights. After each flight students are allowed to make adjustments to their rockets. Scoring will be based on the single best flight out of the 3 flights. The idea here is for students to use Rocksim or Open Rocket to design and build their rockets. Then the students will fly their rockets on competition day. Essentially the first flight at the competition is this first “Test Flight”. Each team’s rocket will need to pass an initial inspection conducted by Paul Kaup, Anson Knoblach, or another STEM+C representative.
Scoring:
- Egg must be recovered unbroken.
- The rocket must safely return to earth, with minimal damage, so as the rocket only needs minimal repairs for subsequent flights.
- A rocket would achieve a perfect score of 0 if the rocket hit exactly 400ft, egg unbroken, and a total flight time from liftoff to touchdown of 20-23 seconds.
- Altitude scoring: A rocket is assessed a penalty of 1 point for each 1 feet of altitude over or under 400 ft.
- For example, the rocket reaches an altitude of 480ft. The rocket would be assessed a penalty of 80 for going over by 80ft. If the rocket only reaches an altitude of 350ft, then the rocket would receive a penalty of 50, because it under flew by 50 ft.
- Flight Time Scoring: A rocket is assessed a penalty of 4 points per 1 second of time over or under the required 20-23 seconds of flight duration. Flight time or duration is from lift off to touchdown.
- For example, the rocket’s total flight time is 30 seconds. This rocket over flew by 7 seconds, and would be assessed a penalty of (4 points X 7 seconds) = 28 point penalty.
- If the rockets total flight time was 17 seconds, ten this rocket under flew by 3 seconds. This rocket would be assessed a penalty of (4 points X 3 seconds) = 12 point penalty.
Use the button below to sign up your school
High School teams are eligible to compete in this challenge. Teams may have as many students as possible. If a school has 20 students on a team, then that team would be building 10 rockets, 2 students per rocket. The team would fly 10 rockets for the competition. If a school has an odd number of students, one team will be allowed 3 students.
BT70 and BT80 3d print files
STL Files
Rocketry Resources
Understanding Basic Rocketry
How to deploy 2 parachutes in Rocksim
Junior High Power Rocketry Certification for High School Students
For our High School students who participate in TARC, we work with them
throughout the TARC season to earn their Junior High Power Rocketry
Certification. For more information about
how to earn your junior high power
rocketry certification follow this link …
NAR Junior High Power Certification.
