Upstream Rocketry Club Qualifies for National Competition
The team recovers a rocket after a successful launch. Photo by Sherri Scribner
April 28, 2023
Russell and Sherri Scribner
Students from Upstream Learning’s rocketry club are the first in Alaskan history to qualify for the American Rocketry Challenge (ARC), which will be held near Arlington, Virginia, on May 20.
Recently ARC headquarters announced the top 100 qualifying scores out of nearly 800 submissions from middle and high schools around the nation. Upstream Learning was on the list. Teams from 27 states will compete against each other for $100,000 prizes and the title of National Champion.
This year, the “Coho Commanders” are led by freshman Caleb Hill and 7th grader Kenton Scribner. For the past three years, these students have been perfecting the ideal launch
under the supervision of Mark Proch, who is the lead teacher for Upstream’s home education program. Years of persistence, ingenuity and attention to detail have paid off.
The 100 qualifying teams designed, built, and launched model rockets that safely carried one large hen egg to an altitude of 850 feet, stayed airborne between 42 and 45 seconds,
and returned the rocket and egg to the ground safely. In addition, one section of the rocket had to contain the egg and altimeter, while the second section contained the rocket motor(s). Both tubes were required to separate after apogee (highest point) and land with their own parachutes.
Becoming the first ARC finalists in Alaska is an honor, and did not come without challenges. Some of these are unique to living in a remote state with freezing temperatures much of the year. Test launches took place in frigid and windy conditions, making hands stiff and cold while inserting motors, repairing fins, or adjusting wires to the launch controller.
Finding an appropriate space to launch rockets was another hurdle. A snow-covered frozen lake provided a spacious area, but recovery after the motor heat occasionally melted the snow and dissolved the tube, requiring the rebuilding of the entire booster stage. In past years, rockets were launched and lost in trees or on roofs, exploded during take-off, lost parts in flight, and were damaged due to malfunctioning parachutes In addition, rocket motors are expensive and must be ordered and shipped to Alaska from companies with special permits.
Hill and Scribner spent nearly a year designing their rockets using a CAD program called Open Rocket, constructing them to specifications, and finally testing and adjusting them to fit the parameters of the contest. Some ingenuity was involved as the boys created the egg container required for the payload using a 3D printer.
Scribner’s hens provided the eggs for the test flights, and the boys sewed various-sized parachutes for use during the testing process. The lack of easy access to parts certainly aided this team in inventing unique solutions to these challenges.
As the team prepares for the finals on May 20, they are seeking support to fund the cost of the trip, which will include airfare, lodging, and transportation while in Virginia. The team would be grateful for any contributions. Checks made out to CRSD, with USL Rocketry on the memo line, can be submitted to Copper River School District, POB 108, Glennallen, AK, 99588.
More information about the American Rocketry Challenge and a list of qualifying teams can be found at https://rocketcontest.org/result/2023-finalists/.
Kenton Scribner and Caleb Hill with custom built and designed rockets. Photo by Sherri Scribner