Idaho Team America Rocketry Challenge Finalists |
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| By: Kyle Lantzy | |||||
| Photo Credit: Linda Lantzy | |||||
| In 2006, the Coeur d' Alene High
School Rocketry Team successfully competed in a national event
called the Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC, see
www.rocketcontest.org
for rules and other info). The team had some early dificulties.
Having very little financial support and getting into a crunch
for time, the team finished their rocket and managed to attempt
only 3 practice launches before the scheduled qualifying date.
The day came to make the two qualification attempts but a
something catostrophic happend. When the first rocket motor was
ignited, it exploded on the pad, completely destroying the lower
half of the rocket. Luckily, there was still a few days before
the scores needed to be submited to TARC, which allowed the team
to hastily reconstruct the lower portion of the rocket. On the
last day before scores were due, the team gave it their final
shot. On the first attempt, the rocket had a great flight and
returned a score of about 15 points (a good chance of qualifying
for the top 100). The team made some minor adjustments to their
rocket and attempted their second and final launch of the day.
It was a nearly perfect flight that earned a score of less than
5 points almost garunteeing a spot in the top 100. The scores
were submitted to tarc and in a few days the team knew they had
qualified as finalists to compete in virginia. They spent the
next month quickly raising money for the trip, repainted the
rocket and made a final practice flight. In May, the Team Left
for nationals. At the contest, the team made a great launch,
scoring about 14 points. That score put them in 2nd place (only
the top ten teams receive prizes) right off the bat, but
throughout the day they lost ranks. By the end of the day they
were in the number 10 spot, but the last two teams to launch
knocked them down to 12th place. Though they didnt win, it was
a great experience, and the CHS team beat nearly 700 other teams
in the event. The most impressive part that came from this, was
in october. The CHS Team was on the cover of Sport rocketry
magazine! They would also appear in the 2008 NAR Member
Guidebook. |
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