When it comes to new scientific innovation, the Whitney Young High School Aerospace Team proves the sky is merely the beginning. This extraordinary group of 12 young engineers participated in the NASA Student Launch Initiative this spring, making history as one of the few high school teams to qualify for this prestigious competition. As a proud sponsor, CRRC is excited to support the next generation of engineers.
The NASA Student Launch Initiative invites high school and college teams to design, build and fly payloads or vehicle components to support the Space Launch System as a part of the organization’s research and development efforts. The team underwent a rigorous selection process to qualify for the competition, successfully navigating design reviews, launch readiness reviews and safety inspections. With guidance from their coaches, the team members completely owned the design of their rocket, with each student playing an important role in its design and construction.
After a meticulous, eight-month preparation process, the team’s rocket flew nearly a mile into the air on launch day. Their science experiment payload—a camera that captured breathtaking aerial footage—served as a testament to their limitless creativity.
This remarkable journey allowed the team to meet esteemed NASA officials and engineers, along with students from across the country working on similar projects, allowing them to gain inspiration from both experts and their peers.
The Whitney Young Aerospace Team has once again secured their place among the stars, qualifying for next year’s competition and even securing a position in The American Rocketry Challenge in Washington, DC—a highly competitive event attracting over 5,000 participants each year.
CRRC has been thrilled to witness the team’s progress, determination and passion and is excited to watch them keep growing in the years to come!
