Credits: NASA/Charles Beason
NASA has announced that the University of Alabama in Huntsville is the overall winner of the agency’s 2023 Student Launch challenge.
More than 800 students from across the U.S. and Puerto Rico launched high-powered, amateur rockets on April 15th, near NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, as part of the culminating event for the agency’s annual Student Launch challenge.
Credits: NASA/Charles Beason
For nine months prior, teams of middle school, high school, college, and university students were tasked to design, build, and launch a rocket and scientific payload to an altitude between 4,000 and 6,000 feet, while making a successful landing and executing a scientific or engineering payload mission.
“Our students share unique perspectives and design innovative technologies to address real-world difficulties of space exploration. As NASA celebrates its 23rd year of Student Launch, we are proud to help develop the next generation of skilled engineers and explorers capable of supporting NASA’s Artemis missions.”
— Kevin McGhaw, director of NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement – Southeast Region
The complete list of award winners are as follows:
2023 Overall Winners
- First place: University of Alabama in Huntsville
- Second place: University of North Carolina at Charlotte
- Third place: Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
3D Printing Award
College Level:
First place: Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa
Middle/High School Level:
First place: East Aurora High School, East Aurora, New York
Altitude Award
College Level
First place: Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
Second place: University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Third place: University of Alabama in Huntsville
Middle/High School Level
First place: Spring Grove Area High School, Spring Grove, Pennsylvania
Second place: Camas High School, Camas, Washington
Third place: MATHmania Robotics, Mission Viejo, California
Best-Looking Rocket Award
College Level
First place: North Carolina State University, Raleigh
Second place: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg
Third place: Auburn University, Alabama
Middle/High School Level
First place: Cedar Falls High School, Iowa
Second place: Yamhill Carlton High School, Yamhill, Oregon
Third place: Boy Scouts Troop 17, Charlottesville, Virginia
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Reusable Launch Vehicle
Innovative Payload Award
College Level
First place: University of Alabama in Huntsville
Second place: Washington University in St. Louis
Third place: University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Judges’ Choice Award
Middle/High School Level
First place: Cedar Falls High School, Cedar Falls, Iowa
Second place: Seabrook Intermediate School, Seabrook, Texas
Third place: MATHmania Robotics, Mission Viejo, California
Project Review Award
College Level
First place: University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Second place: Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
Third place: University of Notre Dame, Indiana
AIAA Reusable Launch Vehicle Award
College Level
First place: New York University, New York
Second place: Washington University in St. Louis
Third place: University of Alabama in Huntsville
AIAA Rookie Award
College Level
First place: United States Military Academy, West Point, New York
Second place: Angelo State University, San Angelo, Texas
Third place: University of Central Florida, Orland
Safety Award
College Level
First place: University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Second place: University of Alabama in Huntsville
Third place: University of Notre Dame, Indiana
Social Media Award
College Level
First place: University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez Campus
Second place: North Carolina State University, Raleigh
Third place: University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Middle/High School Level
First place: Morris County 4-H Rocketry Club, Morris County, New Jersey
Second place: East Aurora High School, East Aurora, New York
Third place: Boy Scout Troop 17, Charlottesville, Virginia
STEM Engagement Award
College Level
First place: Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
Second place: University of Notre Dame, Indiana
Third place: University of Alabama in Huntsville
Middle/High School Level
First place: Cedar Falls High School, Cedar Falls, Iowa
Second place: MATHmania Robotics, Mission Viejo, California
Third place: Camas High School, Camas, Washington
Service Academy Award
First place: The U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York
Vehicle Design Award
Middle/High School Level
First place: Yamhill Carlton Rocketry, Yamhill, Oregon
Second place: Spring Grove Area High School, Spring Grove, Pennsylvania
Third place: Cedar Falls High School, Cedar Falls, Iowa
Payload Design Award
Middle/High School Level
First place: Portland Rocketry, Portland, Oregon
Second place: Yamhill Carlton Rocketry, Yamhill, Oregon
Third place: Seabrook Intermediate School, Seabrook, Texas
Student Launch is one of NASA’s nine Artemis Student Challenges, activities which connect student ingenuity with NASA’s work returning to the Moon under Artemis in preparation for human exploration of Mars.
Credits: NASA/Charles Beason
“Students are required to meet complex requirements and high expectations, literally. Student Launch is an authentic learning experience – one offering students experience working through the same processes NASA and our partners use for safety and quality control of space missions.”
— Fred Kepner, an education program specialist and activity lead for Student Launch at Marshall
Marshall hosts Student Launch with management support provided by NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement – Southeast Region. Funding is provided, in part, by NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate and NASA’s Next Gen STEM project. Additional support is provided by Northrup Grumman, National Space Club Huntsville, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, National Association of Rocketry, Relativity Space, Bastion Technologies, and Siemens Digital Industries Software.
Replays of this launch event and award ceremony are available on NASA’s Marshall YouTube and the Student Launch Facebook page.
