On April 1 the Artemis II mission lifted off from Kennedy Space Center and made history as the first crewed mission to head to the moon’s orbit in almost 54 years. On May 14, the Richards Rocketry teams will head to Virginia to participate in the American Rocketry Challenge (ARC) as two of the top 100 finalists in the nation.
This year’s competition saw a record 1,107 teams enter, making the Richards teams' advancement a significant feat.
The achievement is a continuation of a local legacy; both teams have qualified for the national finals every year since their establishment, with the exception of 2020 due to the pandemic.
TOUGH COMPETITION
To qualify for competition, the students must design and build rockets that carry a payload of a single raw hen egg. The rocket must reach a precise height of at least 750 feet and remain airborne for 36 to 39 seconds. Both the rocket and the egg must return to the ground unbroken via a parachute system.
According to ARC rules, teams may make only three qualification flight attempts. Official qualification flights must be declared before the motor is started, and each must be timed by a National Association of Rocketry member and a team member. An onboard altimeter records the height the rocket flies. A failure of any aspect of the launch means one less chance to qualify.
The finals — comprised of the top 100 teams — will be held May 16 at Great Meadow in The Plains, Va., about 50 miles west of Washington, D.C. The winning team will receive a $100,000 prize and the opportunity to represent the U.S. at an international competition in July at the Farnborough International Air Show in England.
CALCULATED RISK
The technical challenges provide a glimpse into the complexities of aerospace engineering. Coach Cody Lovan said she uses historical footage of the Challenger and Columbia disasters to emphasize the gravity of their work and the consequences of failure.
High school team member Riley Lilly watched the set-up and launch of the Artemis II rocket. She said she wasn’t too nervous, but “kind of worried. Anything could go wrong with the rocket launch.”
Lovan noted an engine explosion, like the one that resulted in the loss of the Challenger crew, is called a “CATOL,” (catastrophe at liftoff). While the teams have been fortunate not to deal with one, they have learned from failures, including a ballistic error that once buried a rocket a foot deep into rain-softened ground.
Students are expected to encounter such issues and resolve them as a team, ensuring assessment, input and problem-solving by all members.
“It’s making sure we fit all criteria, without missing stuff,” said team member Gabriel Burgess. That checklist includes components like the motor and payload and recording and entering data.
A PATHWAY TO STEM
The competition, hosted by the Aerospace Industries Association, aims to spark interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM.). The impact is evident in former Richards members like Ciara Deckard, who is set to graduate from the University of Kansas with a degree in aerospace engineering.
Her role on the Richards team led to connections with potential employers, Lovan noted, adding that she was on an all-girl team that placed sixth nationally in 2018.
SHOW-ME REPRESENTATION
Since then another Richards Rocketry team placed sixth and last year a team placed 10th. In 2019, the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission, the team’s rocket won an Apollo 11 look-alike contest.
The team participates in seven to 20 launches in a season, depending largely on weather conditions, Lovan said.
Richards represents a full quarter of the teams qualifying from Missouri. Most of the finalists hail from larger metropolitan areas, including Kansas City and St. Louis.
Community Support
The trip is funded largely by donations and student-led efforts, including a "tattoo a teacher" fundraiser held at the school’s spring festival.
Additionally, Dora knife maker and "Forged in Fire" veteran Bobby Walker has donated a custom knife and cutting board for a giveaway on May 4. Those interested in supporting the teams or participating in the giveaway can contact the school at 417-256-5239.
