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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

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
Updates6

Challenge Updates

The DTEG document for the 2025 IREC has now been updated and uploaded to the documents section of soundingrocket.org

Oct. 22, 2024, 6:57 p.m. PDT by ESRA Executive Director

The DTEG document for the 2025 IREC has now been updated and uploaded to the documents section of soundingrocket.org


2025 IREC Team Applications form now OPEN

Oct. 21, 2024, 7:06 a.m. PDT by ESRA Executive Director

Deadline is Friday, November 8, 2024

Students can now complete their Team application on the HeroX site Each team should have a minimum of 4 people on HeroX receiving critical updates.

This is NOT THE SAME as Team Registration which occurs in March.


Exciting Updates for IREC and ESRA's Future Challenges!

Oct. 18, 2024, 9:37 a.m. PDT by ESRA President

Hello, Rocketeers!

Thanks to your hard work and dedication to your IREC projects, we are achieving one of ESRA’s ultimate goals: preparing the next generation of engineers ready to step into the aerospace industry. Now, we want to raise the bar and plan even more challenges for you!

Here are some of the exciting changes we will be making for this year's competition:

  • Allowing two teams from the same university to participate if they use different types of propellant (e.g., Solid and Hybrid, Hybrid and Liquid, or Solid and Liquid)
    • Students may not be members of BOTH teams and cannot swap teams mid-year.
    • Liquid teams will need to provide their own insurance
  • Reducing minimum payload mass to 2.0 kg. 
  • Changing the “I” in IREC from Intercollegiate to International Rocket Engineering Competition

While we have greatly enjoyed our partnership with Spaceport America and will always be grateful for their support over the last eight years of hosting the competition, we are now evaluating possible alternate launch sites. This change would enable ESRA to expand the engineering challenge and provide you with even more opportunities to showcase your skills.

Here are the exciting highlights we hope to be making for this year:

  • New two-stage competition category: 30k and 45k
  • Demonstration flights to ???k (to be determined)

Our ability to add these challenges is dependent on our ability to find an alternate site (the search is on). Regardless, we are planning to open our three-week application window on Monday 10/21.   

ESRA will host a Zoom town hall meeting to address as many of your questions as possible, very soon.

Stay tuned for more updates, and keep pushing the boundaries of what’s possible!


Application Submissions for the 2025 Spaceport America Cup have been temporarily POSTPONED

Oct. 6, 2024, 7:27 p.m. PDT by ESRA Executive Director

ESRA regrets to announce that the 2025 Spaceport America Cup student team application submissions have been POSTPONED.   ESRA leadership continues to work with Spaceport America leadership to reach an acceptable launch operations agreement for the 2025 Cup.   

ESRA will not open the application submission period until this agreement can be finalized.  

We apologize for the last minute announcement.  Please follow HeroX and ESRA social media for update announcements.


Important information for International Teams planning to ship anything to New Mexico

Sept. 6, 2024, 8:31 a.m. PDT by ESRA Executive Director

https://www.soundingrocket.org/technical-resources.html

 

There will also be a HeroX forum for discussing Shipping challenges and recommendations


Forum52
Teams1.3K
Resources
FAQ