menu

International Rocket Engineering Competition

 123,545

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.

This challenge is closed

stage:
Begin Submitting Team Registration Packages

This challenge is closed

more
Summary
Timeline
Updates48
Forum178
Teams2.8K
Resources
FAQ
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
Updates48

Challenge Updates

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)


Pre-Registration Reminder

March 24, 2025, 5 a.m. PDT by ESRA Registration Sierra Stockwell

Hello Rocketeers,

First off, I'd like to shout out teams: 110 Chosun University, 502 Université Laval, and 148 Sapienza University of Rome for being the first teams to complete pre-registration!

Thank you to everyone who has submitted their pre-registration form already, this is your reminder to keep bugging all of your members to sign up for Tripoli and register!

Next I'd like to address some common questions/issues I've been seeing:

  1. Remember to only submit ONE team lead, I know that you all have secondary team leads as well, but if you submit more than one per team it will register your team twice, please be aware of this. 
  2. Please make sure to type your name in both questions on the waiver! This acts as your digital signature.
  3. I know that the original due date for pre-registration was March 28th, but it is now due April 28th due to site delays, our timeline has been updated to reflect this. Remember that even though it is due April 28th the earlier your team submits the better your timeslot allocation!
  4. Please only count students attending competition as part of your team, do not include your advisors since they do not need tickets.
  5. In my video I misspoke and said there are 5 recovery members per team, this is actually 4, please disregard that comment. You are free to select "Backup" recovery members as needed, but only 4 will be allowed to recover.
  6. If you go by a nickname instead of your full name and you would like that to appear on your badge, please enter your nick name in all name fields on the form.

Here are all the important links again in case you've lost them! Remember that you can email me anytime with questions.

Pre-Registration Instructions 2025

Pre-Registration Tutorial

Pre-Registration Form

 

Thank you all again for your diligence! 

Sierra Stockwell

Registration Coordinator

Uprange Operations Manager

registration@esrarocket.org


 


Upcoming Video Flight Readiness Reviews - REMINDER

March 18, 2025, 6:09 a.m. PDT by ESRA Executive Director

The Video Flight Readiness Review (VFRR) does not need a powerpoint slide presentation.  The VFRR needs to be a HANDS-ON LIVE video INSPECTION of the rocket itself...  The safety reviewer needs to inspect the rocket like we do when you arrive at the event... 
 

  • Safety Reviewers need confirmation that the rocket is complete (or nearly complete) and ready to fly.
     
  • Example Safety Reviewer Request:  "Pull off the nosecone and show me the recovery harness linkage".  
     
  • Be prepared to have handheld phone cameras or other portable cameras and a big area to take your rocket apart.  
     
  • RECORD THE VIDEO and submit it to as soon as the review is complete.

Forum178
Teams2.8K
Resources
FAQ