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International Rocket Engineering Competition

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International Rocket Engineering Competition 2025

Join us as we host thousands of the world's most ambitious collegiate rocketeers in a one-of-a-kind event.
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Summary
Timeline
Updates50
Forum183
Teams2.8K
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Summary

Overview

International Rocket Engineering Competition 2025

June 9-14, 2025

Over 2,000 students, faculty and mentors will gather for the 18th annual International Rocket Engineering Competition (IREC)in June of 2025.  Drawn by the opportunity to collaborate and compete in a world class event, you represent the best and brightest from more than 150 colleges and universities located across the USA and around the world. 

Join us as we host thousands of the world's most ambitious collegiate rocketeers in a one-of-a-kind event. Part academic conference and part design-build-fly style competition, the IREC has something to offer students, faculty, industry representatives, and amateur aerospace aficionados alike.

 

The biggest rockets, the highest altitudes and largest payloads! 
​How will you answer the call?

Whether you are an academic, an industry representative, a retired professional, or simply a passionate amateur supportive of young minds who seek new horizons... there are many ways you may become a part of an event impacting the future of aerospace...

As a Sponsor...

You could interact with over 1,800 university STEM students from top ranked universities and colleges in a professional and competitive setting. Not only can your organization interact with them face to face but you can also learn about how their aerospace hardware performs in real world conditions. Finally, you will help make possible an event which inspires the best possible candidates for your company! 

As a Volunteer...

You will join a highly motivated and talented ESRA team which brings together the thousands of moving pieces to build the world's largest collegiate rocket engineering conference and competition. From directing crowds to directing launches and everything in between, we need you at the IREC! 

As a Judge...

You will join a group of respected experts and professionals who interact with the student teams to evaluate and score the deliverables, including technical design documents, overall team performance and launch success.  This team determines who will receive the coveted Genesis Trophy as the Overall Winner of the IREC.

As a Student... 

You will demonstrate your hard work on an international stage, in front of thousands of your peers, professors, and prospective employers. You will engage in design-build-fly style rocket and payload engineering competitions in a professional setting, at world class facilities, where the sky is not the limit!


Guidelines

Guidelines for the International Rocket Engineering Competition (IREC) are hosted on our website! www.soundingrocket.org/irec-documents--forms.html

You'll want to review the following documents:

  • IREC Rules and Requirements Document
  • IREC Design, Test, and Evaluation Guide
  • Integrated Master Schedule
  • SDL Payload Challenge Rules & Information
  • IREC Range Standard Operating Procedures
  • Pre-Registration Forms and Instructions
  • Explanation Letter for IREC Fees
  • Proper Clothing for the IREC
  • Maps to travel to the Vertical Launch Area

 

 





 

Timeline
Updates50

Challenge Updates

The 3rd Progress Report is LIVE - Report 3 deadline is April 11, 2025, and Video Review deadline is May 16, 2025

April 1, 2025, 10:07 a.m. PDT by ESRA Executive Director

The 3rd Progress Report is LIVE - Report 3 deadline is April 11, 2025, and Video Review deadline is May 16, 2025

Please review this document to learn more about this Progress Report and the subsequent Video Flight Readiness Review.

https://www.soundingrocket.org/uploads/9/0/6/4/9064598/2025_irec_3rd_progress_report_-_vfrr_information.pdf

 

 


REMINDER - April 11th is the Deadline for Project and Rocketeer Fees

March 28, 2025, 8:36 a.m. PDT by ESRA Executive Director

Payments should be made at www.soundingrocket.org

After April 11th, Project and Rocketeer fees increase significantly and any refunds (for already paid Project and Rocketeer fees) are no longer allowed.   Application fees are never refunded.

You have about 2 weeks to make these payments so please ensure your team does not miss the deadline.

Yes, you can add or remove Rocketeers up until the day of the event.


Proper (AND SAFE) clothing to wear at the 2025 IREC Launch Site

March 26, 2025, 11:57 a.m. PDT by ESRA Executive Director

Please share with your team members to ensure there are no misunderstandings about expectations for clothing to wear at the launch site for the 2025 IREC.

https://www.soundingrocket.org/irec-documents--forms.html

 


Progress Report 3 and the Video Flight Readiness Review information

March 26, 2025, 11:53 a.m. PDT by ESRA Executive Director

Progress Report 3 will be released very soon.

Additional information on PR3 and the Video Flight Readiness Review is available on the IREC website:

https://www.soundingrocket.org/irec-documents--forms.html

 

Please review the updated documents to prepare your team for this critical review.


April Townhall is coming soon! MARK YOUR CALENDARS! Thursday, April 3rd at 7pm CT

March 25, 2025, 7:05 p.m. PDT by ESRA Executive Director

Monthly Town Hall! We will be hosting Town Halls on the first Thursday of every month leading up to the competition in June.  Links to webinars: https://linktr.ee/esra.rocket
Join us this Thursday, April 3rd at 7pm CT (UTC-6)


Forum183
Teams2.8K
Rising phoenix Rising phoenix
3 team members
Looking for members
Elonm's team Elonm's team
1 team member
Looking for members
Monash High Powered Rocketry Monash High Powered Rocketry
16 team members
Looking for members
Sandip Mohanty's team Sandip Mohanty's team
1 team member
Looking for members
Zanetti's team Zanetti's team
1 team member
Looking for members
RMIT High Velocity RMIT High Velocity
5 team members
Looking for members
Bbb Fgg's team Bbb Fgg's team
1 team member
Looking for members
Katy Rocketry Club Katy Rocketry Club
3 team members
Looking for members
ITU SUNGUR ROCKET TEAM ITU SUNGUR ROCKET TEAM
4 team members
Looking for members
ENP Rocketeers ENP Rocketeers
4 team members
Looking for members
Rocking Science Rocking Science
5 team members
Looking for members
Propulsión UNAM's team Propulsión UNAM's team
4 team members
Looking for members
Minerva Rockets UFRJ's team Minerva Rockets UFRJ's team
4 team members
Looking for members
Interstellar team UDL SBA (ALGERIA) (2025) Interstellar team UDL SBA (ALGERIA) (2025)
14 team members
Looking for members
Saad Dahleb Blida Rocketry Team Saad Dahleb Blida Rocketry Team
10 team members
Looking for members
UCL Rocket UCL Rocket
10 team members
Looking for members
ENIS AEROSPACE ENIS AEROSPACE
2 team members
Looking for members
University of Washington - SARP University of Washington - SARP
15 team members
Looking for members
Case Western Reserve University Case Western Reserve University
16 team members
Looking for members
Duke University 'Duke AERO' Rocketry Club 2025 Duke University 'Duke AERO' Rocketry Club 2025
2 team members
Looking for members
SEDS FIU SEDS FIU
11 team members
Looking for members
UL Rocketry Team 2025 UL Rocketry Team 2025
8 team members
Looking for members
ZENITH ZENITH
9 team members
Looking for members
UTM Rocketry Team UTM Rocketry Team
12 team members
Looking for members
SEDSACC Rocketry Team SEDSACC Rocketry Team
6 team members
Looking for members
PHOENIX ROCKET TEAM PHOENIX ROCKET TEAM
8 team members
Looking for members
IGNITIA IGNITIA
1 team member
Looking for members
FabLab KFUPM FabLab KFUPM
10 team members
Looking for members
AXANTERA INDONESIA AXANTERA INDONESIA
1 team member
Looking for members
AE-13 Mehrab Hossen's team AE-13 Mehrab Hossen's team
1 team member
Looking for members
Cuuhetería Cuuhetería
6 team members
Looking for members
Swamp Launch Rocket Team - University of Florida Swamp Launch Rocket Team - University of Florida
10 team members
Looking for members
SARTEK SARTEK
8 team members
Looking for members
Skybridge ENPC's team Skybridge ENPC's team
7 team members
Looking for members
STES Rocketry team STES Rocketry team
4 team members
Looking for members
Christopher Fernandes's team Christopher Fernandes's team
9 team members
Looking for members
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