American Rocketry Challenge resources.
Practical guides for students and families at every stage of ARC preparation — from first-time competitors to teams refining their qualifying strategy.
ARC Avionics and Altimeters: Recording Altitude and Hitting Your Target Score
How American Rocketry Challenge teams use altimeters to measure apogee and flight time — how barometric altimeters work, mounting and venting, reading flight data, and tuning toward the target.
Choosing a Motor for Your American Rocketry Challenge Rocket
How to choose an ARC rocket motor — reading the motor designation code, total-impulse classes, thrust curves, matching the motor to liftoff mass and target altitude, and ejection-delay timing.
Simulating Your ARC Rocket in OpenRocket: From Design to Predicted Altitude
Use OpenRocket to design and tune an American Rocketry Challenge rocket — build the model, set mass and the payload, check stability margin, and simulate apogee and flight time before you build.
How to Prepare for ARC Season: A 12-Week Training Overview
A practical 12-week preparation roadmap for ARC teams — what to focus on each phase, from initial design through qualifying flights.
ARC vs. Hobby Rocketry: What's Actually Different
Compare American Rocketry Challenge rockets with hobby rockets, and see how scoring constraints change design, testing, and team training.
Getting Started with the American Rocketry Challenge
A complete beginner's guide to ARC — who can enter, how teams form, key dates, and what you need to build your first competition-ready rocket.
Designing 3D-Printed Rocket Fins: A Student Guide to Aerodynamic Stability
Learn how to design, print, and test 3D-printed rocket fins using CAD and iterative prototyping. A practical guide for ARC-track students.
Recovery System Basics: Parachutes, Ejection Charges, and Safe Landings
A practical overview of rocket recovery systems for students, covering parachute sizing, ejection charge testing, and competition-ready deployment.
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