NASA has officially revealed the selection of 71 teams from various regions across the United States for its 25th annual Student Launch Challenge. This event is a vital part of the Artemis Student Challenges, aimed at motivating the Artemis Generation to engage deeply with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to propel human advancement.
Participants in this competition are tasked with designing, building, and launching a high-powered amateur rocket, which must carry a scientific payload. Throughout the academic year, teams will also need to meet documentation milestones and participate in thorough reviews.
The extensive nine-month challenge will culminate in live events starting on April 30, 2025, with the final launches scheduled for May 3 at Bragg Farms in Toney, Alabama, conveniently located near NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville. Teams may also opt to conduct their final launch at a qualified local site, as outlined in the Student Launch Handbook.
Each year, NASA refreshes the university payload challenge to reflect ongoing scientific and exploratory missions. For the 2025 season, the payload challenge will be inspired by the Artemis missions, which aim to land the first woman and the first person of color on the Moon, paving the way for future human exploration of Mars.
Exciting Payload Challenge
In celebration of its 25th anniversary, the Student Launch will introduce a unique payload challenge featuring STEMnauts—non-living objects that represent astronauts. These STEMnauts will be required to send real-time data back to the student team's mission control via radio frequency, simulating the communication needed for the Artemis crew during lunar landings.
University and college teams must comply with the 2025 payload specifications established by NASA, while middle and high school teams have the flexibility to either tackle the same challenge or devise their own payload experiment.
Thorough Evaluations and Awards
NASA personnel will conduct detailed evaluations of student teams to ensure the safety and effectiveness of their rocket and payload designs. The team that comes closest to their target altitude will be honored with the Altitude Award, among other accolades presented at the competition's conclusion. Additional awards include recognition for overall performance, vehicle design, experiment design, and social media engagement.
Community Engagement and Outreach
In addition to their engineering and scientific objectives, students are required to participate in outreach activities, which involve engaging with local schools and maintaining active social media profiles. The Student Launch Challenge is designed to be comprehensive, preparing the next generation for careers in space exploration.
The management of the Student Launch Challenge falls under the purview of Marshall's Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM). This initiative receives additional funding and support from NASA's OSTEM through the Next Gen STEM project, NASA's Space Operations Mission Directorate, Northrup Grumman, National Space Club Huntsville, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, National Association of Rocketry, Relativity Space, and Bastion Technologies.