All Rocketry Blogs

Sport Rocketry / Contests / International and National / The American Rocketry Challenge

    SEARS Magazine: TARC 2008 Finals (2008-05-20)
     TARC is Team America Rocketry Challenge.  The contest is for middle and high school students. Teams may be formed for schools or youth organizations. The pictures below are ... [Read More]

    Rocket Dungeon: RG at TARC2010-2 (2010-05-25)
    TARC2010-2 , originally uploaded by cpbeyers .   [Read More]

    Bayourat Aerospace Blog: Louisiana TARC Team Makes It To The Finals! (2011-04-14)
    The list has been published! It's official! The team from Centerville, LA is in the finals and will be competing on the National level in the Team America Rocketry Challenge. The Team America ... [Read More]

    RocketReviews.com Blog: Team America Rocketry Challenge (2011-06-17)
    Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC) is an annual rocketry competition for students in grades 7 through 12. Sponsored primarily by the National Association of Rocketry (NAR) and the Aerospace ... [Read More]

    Wayne Hill's Blog: TARC rules comparison 2011 to 2012 (2011-07-28)
    There are some interesting rules changes for the upcoming 2012 T.A.R.C. If this analysis is accurate the teams will need to build lighter. There is also a limit to total impulse that would require ... [Read More]

    RocketReviews.com Blog: Team America Rocketry Challenge Featured at White House Science Fair (2012-02-09)
    Each year, about 7,000 students from middle and high schools across the nation compete in the Team America Rocketry Challenge. Each team designs, builds, flies, and tests a model rocket that must ... [Read More]

    Rocket Dungeon: TARC featured on tonight's "On the Road" (2012-05-11)
    The Team America Rocketry Challenge , the finals of which are being held tomorrow in The Plains, VA,  was the subject of Steve Hartman's "On the Road" segment on tonight's CBS news. Steve ... [Read More]

    Bayourat Aerospace Blog: Madison West High School Team Wins TARC (2012-05-13)
    A team from Madison West High School blew away its rivals Saturday, winning first place — and a free trip to London — in the Team America Rocketry Challenge. The four-member team beat ... [Read More]

    Wayne Hill's Blog: Students from Madison Wis. win 2012 TARC (2012-05-13)
    Press Release AIA: “Students from Madison West High School in Madison, Wis. placed first at the 10th annual Team America Rocketry Challenge finals Saturday, besting 99 teams from across the ... [Read More]

    Rocket Dungeon: TARC via Rocketry Live! (2012-05-14)
    You can find the large album of photos and videos [here] (along with older events too). [Read More]

    Wayne Hill's Blog: 2013 TARC Rules released (2012-07-21)
    From the AIA: The 2013 Team America Rocketry Challenge offers a new challenge to the student teams. Here are some of the highlights for the 2013 contest: 1.Target altitude of 750 feet 2.Duration of ... [Read More]

    Wayne Hill's Blog: 2014 TARC Rules (2013-05-24)
    The 2014 TARC Rules have now been released. [Read More]

    Wayne Hill's Blog: 2014 TARC Results (2014-05-13)
    Congratulations to the many TARC teams that competed in this years contest. The team from Creekview High School in Canton GA won the 12th annual competition this past weekend.   lace Score Team ... [Read More]

    Rich's Rockets: TARC (2015-04-03)
    Congratulations to the 2015 TARC finalists! [Read More]

    Rocketeer's Corner: A Geezer's thoughts on the 2016 TARC challenge... (2015-05-18)
    Well, the 2015 TARC finals are over (Yay Russellville! Have fun in Paris!) and the 2016 rules are out. I look forward to a new challenge each year, and this one has some interesting twists. So, good ... [Read More]

    Wayne Hill's Blog: The complete photo gallery of TARC 2015 (2015-08-23)
    Here is a flashback to this years TARC Click here for the TARC 2015 Photo Gallery [Read More]

    Rocketeer's Corner: Geezer TARC launch! (2015-08-29)
    Well, today was the long awaited day - a bit on the cloudy side, with winds in the 8-10 mph range. However, the rain held off long enough for us to complete the Geezer TARC launch, and I must say it ... [Read More]

    Rocketeer's Corner: TARC session at the University of North Alabama (2015-10-24)
    Time to catch up on blog posts - work has been kicking my rear lately and I haven't felt like writing when I get home. The rain outside is providing some motivation today :) Lee Brownell starts the ... [Read More]

    Rocketeer's Corner: I fly a few during TARC practice... (2015-10-30)
    The skies were overcast last Saturday, but that did not stop me and Duane from joining Nate and his two Liberty Middle TARC teams at Pegasus field. We showed up around noon to find the young folks ... [Read More]

    Rocketeer's Corner: TARC Saturday... (2016-03-28)
    It's a good thing that the weather was wonderful this past Saturday, because Duane and I spent 7 hours - from 9 AM to 4 PM - at Pegasus Field working with the local TARC teams. Eight made an ... [Read More]

    Wayne Hill's Blog: TARC 2016 Top 101 (2016-04-09)
    TARC 2016 Top 101 finalist were announced on Friday. Congratulations to all of the teams that qualified. Full list can be accessed here [Read More]

    Model Rocket Building: Hometown Rocket News (2016-04-26)
    Edie, a best friend since we were five years old, sent me this via Facebook. The article is from the Register Pajaronian, my hometown paper in Watsonville, California. I had a route and threw 50 ... [Read More]

    Rocketeer's Corner: The 2017 Geezer TARC season begins... (2016-05-15)
    The 2016 TARC Nationals were held yesterday up in Virginia, with two Alabama teams placing in the top 20. Russellville took the #9 spot, and Lincoln High School came in at #16 - a big congrats to ... [Read More]

    Wayne Hill's Blog: T.A.R.C. 2016 Winner (2016-05-16)
    Congratulations to the 2016 T.A.R.C. Winners! Odle Middle School team from Bellevue, WA Full List Of Results for 2016 [Read More]

    Rocketeer's Corner: Time for Geezer TARC! (2016-05-27)
    Given that Duane and I are already working on designs, I thought it prudent to post the rules for the   2017 Geezer TARC competition. Have to get things in writing, you know. The rules are the ... [Read More]

    Wayne Hill's Blog: The T.A.R.C. 2016 Video (2016-05-28)
    [Read More]

    Rocketeer's Corner: Making Geezer TARC a little more interesting... (2016-06-01)
    This past week I was petitioned to amend the rules to allow second flights for Geezer TARC participants, just like the top teams at the National Fly-off in Virginia. The altitude goal for this second ... [Read More]

    Rocketeer's Corner: TARC workshops and cell towers... (2016-09-28)
    In terms of rocket events, September has been a busy month. A few days after the Geezer TARC launch, HARA hosted a Saturday TARC workshop at the Educator Resource Center located on the grounds of the ... [Read More]

    Rocketeer's Corner: 1st launch of 2017... (2017-01-14)
    A coupe of days ago, Duane informed me that the Pope John Paul II TARC teams (Falcon Rocketeers and Jurassic TARC) would be making their first practice flights on Saturday. This made today not only a ... [Read More]

    Rocketeer's Corner: Cold and windy... (2017-01-28)
    Jurassic TARC readies Stripes for launch (click to enlarge). Duane and I linked up with the Jurassic TARC team around 11 this morning - it was a chilly day, with temps in the low 40's, made even ... [Read More]

    Rocketeer's Corner: 2 busy hours at Pegasus... (2017-02-04)
    Noon today once again saw the start of more TARC practice and flying at Pegasus Field. The weather was a bit more favorable than last Saturday, with the temps in the upper 40's and a moderate wind ... [Read More]

    Rocketeer's Corner: Getting ahead of the rain... (2017-02-11)
    Jurassic TARC readies one of their rockets for flight (Click to enlarge). There was considerable doubt earlier this week as to whether the scheduled Saturday TARC practice at Pegasus field would ... [Read More]

    Rocketeer's Corner: Sunday flying... (2017-02-20)
    The 'Cherokee nation' loaded on the pads (Click to enlarge). Our streak of nice Saturdays was broken by the rain that started this past Friday night, continuing through Saturday morning. It put a ... [Read More]

    Rocketeer's Corner: Pads galore at Pegasus... (2017-03-04)
    Liberty watches their rocket soar upward into a sunny blue sky (Click to enlarge). Today was another perfect day for flying, and four TARC teams - Liberty Middle School's Team Bazinga, Hope ... [Read More]

    Rocketeer's Corner: What a jerk! (2017-03-20)
    The Falcon Rocketeers get ready to weigh their rocket before a flight (Click to enlarge). We are now in "crunch time" - those last couple of weeks before the TARC ... [Read More]

    Rocketeer's Corner: Crossing the finish line... (2017-04-03)
    Hope Rising starts Headhunter on another flight (Click to enlarge). "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..." These words from Dicken's A Tale of Two ... [Read More]

    Rocketeer's Corner: The pad's on fire! (2017-05-13)
    Last Saturday Duane and I joined members of Liberty Middle School's TARC team at Pegasus field for an end-of-year celebratory fun launch. The day was sunny, albeit quite breezy - most of the rockets ... [Read More]

    Rocketeer's Corner: Which is the smoothest ride - rod or rail? (2017-05-21)
    For the first time, the TARC rules state that the top 100 contestants making it to the Nationals cannot use a rod; however, they can practice and qualify using one. It's difficult enough to achieve ... [Read More]

    Rocketeer's Corner: We have a new TARC Geezer! (2017-09-30)
    Vince's Geezer TARC entry sets on the pad awaiting launch (Click to enlarge). Well, today was THE day - the annual Geezer TARC fly off. This year's contestants - myself, Duane, Marc, and Vince - ... [Read More]

    Rocketeer's Corner: Warm December launch at Pegasus... (2017-12-03)
    (Warning - this is a long post with many pictures) Some of the activity at Pegasus field this Saturday; the Jurassic TARC team is in the foreground (Click to enlarge). ... [Read More]

    Rocketeer's Corner: Same thing, every year... (2018-03-23)
    I thoroughly enjoy being a TARC mentor; working with the teams is great, and I am thrilled to be part of the whole experience that is Team America Rocketry Challenge. However, mixed in with the ... [Read More]

    Rocketeer's Corner: Sunday morning launch... (2018-04-30)
    The Longshots begin unpacking their equipment for practice (Click to enlarge). The weather was practically perfect this past weekend - not only did I get rockets built ... [Read More]

    Rocketeer's Corner: Time to start Geezer TARC! (2018-05-13)
    OK Geezers, now that the rules have been released for the 2019 TARC competition, we can start the annual Geezer TARC contest. This year promises to be fun-filled, with 3 eggs, 3 parachutes, and an ... [Read More]

    Rocketeer's Corner: I attend rocket camp... (2018-05-27)
    Campers hard at work on a 3" BMS School Rocket (Click to enlarge). I had the privilege of attending the Hope Christian Academy Rocket Camp this past Friday. Imagine 9 ... [Read More]

    Rocketeer's Corner: My first Geezer TARC rocket for 2018... (2018-05-30)
    I was suffering from rocket burnout last year at the time of the release of the TARC rules, so I did not get around to building my Geezer TARC rocket until the latter part of Summer. Normally I build ... [Read More]

    Rocketeer's Corner: A good piece of mail... (2018-06-17)
    The Longshots (Click to enlarge) The US Postal Service never ceases to amaze me - I can get a rocket part order from Ohio and Nevada in just 2 days, and sometimes it ... [Read More]

    Rocketeer's Corner: Miscellany... (2018-07-30)
    It's been a few months since I last flew, and I am feeling a bit restless. Unfortunately, Pegasus field is way overgrown with weeds - won't be cut until fall - and HARA is still awaiting our first ... [Read More]

    Rocketeer's Corner: Time to do some TARC math! (2018-08-26)
    Now that the Reliant is finished, it's time to figure out the size of the parachutes needed to land the booster and payload sections safely. To do so, you need to measure the weights of both these ... [Read More]

    Rocketeer's Corner: At long last... (2018-09-30)
    In my previous post, I mentioned that the day was perfect for flying - clear skies, light wind, and comfortable temperatures. Soon after arriving at Pegasus, I realized that the latter was most ... [Read More]

    Rocketeer's Corner: What I learned from this year's Geezer TARC... (2018-09-30)
    I spent a lot of time with my designs and simulations this year. Here's what I took away from yesterday's launch: Reliant's flight profile from the PNUT altimeter (Click to enlarge). 1) As expected, ... [Read More]

    GRC Blog: Team America Rocket Challenge 2019 (2019-01-24)
    This years 2019 TARC event will be historical. Make sure to check out their web site for the rules: https://rocketcontest.org/ [Read More]

    Rocket N00b: TARC Finals Live (2019-05-17)
    Saturday, May 18, the Team America Rocketry Challenge national finals take place in The Plains, Virginia. You can watch the events live on YouTube by CLICKING HERE . Follow me on Twitter . ... [Read More]

    Rocketeer's Corner: Goodbye Pegasus! (2019-06-01)
    You can see the construction going on at the former Pegasus field behind the Urban Astronauts, who are holding their rocket high after completing their TARC qualification flights. ... [Read More]

    Rocketeer's Corner: A new season and a new name... (2019-06-02)
    The 2019 TARC rules were released the evening of Nationals, and I must say that there were a couple of surprises. First was TARC now stands for something else - no longer "Team America Rocketry ... [Read More]

    Rocketeer's Corner: A modular TARC rocket? (2019-08-31)
    Now that the season has begun I have been thinking quite a bit about this year's TARC. The big change this year is that the 100 teams participating at Finals will fly not to their qualifying 800 ... [Read More]

    Rocket N00b: TARC Suspended Due to COVID-19 (2020-03-17)
      From an email issued by The American Rocketry Challenge , or TARC: Hi Rocketeers,  As always, one of our priorities is to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our entire ... [Read More]