the LAUNCH CANADA challenge

University rocketry students in Canada now have their very own rocketry competition. For more information:

https://www.launchcanada.org/?fbclid=IwAR05bY1ooOEmuDj1gBuIlJQINgTEqGUt299YdaCFcsuDFoTt0y6f-RtNP7k

High Desert Rocketry said:

University rocketry students in Canada now have their very own rocketry competition. For more information:

https://www.launchcanada.org/?fbclid=IwAR05bY1ooOEmuDj1gBuIlJQINgTEqGUt299YdaCFcsuDFoTt0y6f-RtNP7k

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I checked out the web page again and still no new information. They've been talking about this for at least two years now.

I run the FAR-1030 competition in California and have not heard anything further about LaunchCanada. It takes a lot of work and commitment to run competitions. We had 12 teams this, our second FAR-1030 with teams from California to Florida competing. Once they get underway teams will come.

We recently held a comp in Australia and it was attended by many teams. Some even made the trip to NM for the IREC competition. It is a great way of spurring their skills and innovation.

Eyesinthesky said:

I checked out the web page again and still no new information. They've been talking about this for at least two years now.

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I have a feeling the organizer(s) launched with their end goal in mind and didnt quite realize the logistics involved to secure Transport Canada approvals, launch sites, insurance,etc. The idea is cool...

How many Canadian Uni teams go to the US for the US based competitions? Seems like a more likely bet. (and more than 2 teams to compete against..)

Or, if a city like Montreal or Toronto (or Vancouver?), which has 2 or 3 universities & an equal amount of colleges, they could do a 'city wide' competition.. Then once this is established, then start inviting others..

for example:
Montreal has 2 English & 3 french universities, and an equal amount of colleges (CEGEPs) with a science / engineering curriculum.
Have them all put a team together & compete.
After a year or two, invite others from Ottawa, Sherbrooke, Quebec city, Kingston.. and compete..
Then start expanding the reach / invitation..

The only issue I see, is fields. TC isn't that big of a deal. Launch space is.
And someone to organize the city-wide competition..
(The CAR prefects would be more than an asset to help this get going..)

dr wogz said:

The only issue I see, is fields. TC isn't that big of a deal. Launch space is.

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As someone who has been through this process, I agree with your statement.

I sit on the board for NAPAS and organized a "Field search committee", when we lost our field. One of our first tasks was to extract the process from previous active members on how to deal with the formal parts. Meeting with TC was the easy part, although the corridor they provided was a bit more restrictive than we would have liked, they did provide some search parameters to stay within. After that, I mapped out the corridor in Google Earth and broke it down into manageable chunks. The idea was for volunteers to do a Google Earth fly-through and identify potential sites; then we would investigate them one at a time.

That was four years ago now, and we still don't have a field.

BTW I reached out to launch Canada to volunteer my help several months back, and it resulted in crickets.

Same here.. the volunteering part. Although NE Univ outside Boston has just put a feeler out for a mentor for their program.. Tempted to approach McGill or Concordia (or Dawson or John Abbott colleges) to see if they are interested in the competitions & want a mentor for it.

Greg (ORG) & I started looking a few years ago for a field in between Montreal & Ottawa & Kingston. again, no go. Talking to farmers, the ones on the land your'e after resulted in "I only live here, this land is leased.. or owned by someone else / some company.."

dr wogz said:

The only issue I see, is fields. TC isn't that big of a deal. Launch space is.

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I drive 210 miles to launch twice a month here in the US. Many people will be driving hundreds, even thousands of miles shortly to LDRS and then XPRS and BALLS. Likewise, universities will be traveling worldwide to SAC next year. These are once a year events and non of them started with hundreds of launches. Do an event in Canada and people will come, that is how it works.

I started the FAR-1030 with just 3 teams last year, 12 teams this year coming from California to Florida and in between. Already have 3 teams wanting in and this year's competition hasn't been announced. You can't judge the interest in Canada by just the ones that come to the US to compete. Really easy to say 'Oh, there's no place to launch' in one of the wold's largest countries. It takes dedicated people wanting to see young people have a chance to advance themselves. I was a science teacher here in the US and used a lot of material Canada put out for the education of its youth...has that now ended?

dr wogz said:

"I only live here, this land is leased.. or owned by someone else / some company.."

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Yes, we have had a lot of that as well. We found one site where we were able to set up a low/mid power demo launch; then we found out just what you said. Our contact was leasing the property.

I work with UTAT (University of Toronto Aerospace Team), and last school year, I did a one on one mentorship with one of their Sr. students. I received excellent feedback from him, and he positivity commented on the value.

This year I am formalizing a program to be awarded to one student. I donate everything, all electronics, adhesives, kit, recovery, paint, decals, etc. I am just in the process of setting up a NFP, and I would be happy to share with you what my intentions are.

NFP?

dr wogz said:

NFP?

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