HUNTSVILLE AL- A record 57 teams of engineering, math and science students will take part in the annual challenge, organized by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. Fifteen middle and high school teams will tackle the non-competitive Student Launch Initiative, while 42 college and university teams will compete in the University Student Launch Initiative. The latter features a $5,000 first-place award provided by ATK Aerospace Systems of Salt Lake City, Utah.
Student team members from Bob Jones High School in Madison, Ala., get ready to launch their rocket at NASA's Student Launch Initiative in 2004.
CREDIT: NASA/MSFC/Vince Huegele
The NASA Student Launch Projects (SLP) challenges middle school, high school, and college students in designing, building, and launching a reusable rocket to 1-mile above ground level with a scientific or engineering payload. SLP is an 8-month commitment requiring teams to submit a series of reports and reviews, develop a Web site, provide educational engagement in their local community, and provide a timeline, a budget, and other requirements.
This year's participants hail from Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin. For a complete competitor list and more information about the challenge, visit: http://education.msfc.nasa.gov/sli , To watch NASA's live coverage, visit its UStream page at ustream.tv/channel/nasa-msfc.
NASA Student Launch Projects (SLP)
Bragg Farms
1180 Grimwood Road, Toney, Alabama 35773
Launch Day: April 21
Opening ceremonies begin at 7:30 a.m.
The launches are set to begin at 8 a.m. and end around 4 p.m.
Launch is free and open to the public.