The New Zealand Rocketry Challenge was started by KiwiSpace Foundation and NZ Rocketry Association in 2012, with assistance from Aerospace Education.
The objective of the Challenge is to promote rocketry education in the classroom, and to give students hands-on experience working in teams to solve an aerospace engineering challenge.
2012: Winning team members Yana David (left) and Mila Power from the Diocesan School for Girls team.
2012: Students from Northcross Intermediate eagerly await the launch of their rocket "NX Eggsplosion"
The NZ Rocketry Challenge trophy
2012: Girls from third-placed Baradene College sit watching among the excited crowd at the NZ Rocketry Challenge, held at Ambury Regional Park on Sunday.
2012: Ten student teams from years 7 & 8 competed to win the NZ Rocketry Challenge 2012, at Ambury Regional Park, Auckland on Sunday 25 November.
2012: A rocket from Albany Junior High School blasts off the launch pad.
2012: Baradene College's rocket blasts off carrying its raw egg payload.
The NZ Rocketry Challenge winners' medals
Twelve teams registered for the inaugural competition in 2012 (around 100 Year 7 & 8 students). The competition Launch Day was held at Ambury Regional Park in Auckland. Yana David & Mila Power from Diocesan School for Girls won the challenge, with a flight only 3 metres away from the target altitude of 150m.
For 2014 and onwards, we modified the competition format to make it easier for schools outside of the Auckland area to participate -- through the use of certified results from flights schools can undertake at a time that suits their schedule. We hope to add regional fly-offs in the future.
