Student Launch SLI Division Eligibility Requirements 

SLI – Student Launch Initiative: Middle and High School Division. Teams composed of students in grades 6-12 from formal or informal 

education institutions. 

Eligibility Requirements 

1. Initial Qualification 

NASA Student Launch is open to qualifying U.S. teams composed of students in grades 6-12. To become qualified: 

1.a. Teams must place in one of the following rocketry competitions to be invited to submit a proposal for the 

upcoming Student Launch activity year according to the following: 

1.a.1. American Rocketry Challenge – Top 25 placement in finals. 

1.a.2. Rockets For Schools – Top 5 placement in Class II. 

1.b. Eligibility to submit a proposal does not guarantee selection to participate in Student Launch. 

2. Qualified Team Provisions 

Teams composed of students in grades 6-12 who meet the requirements outlined in section 1 are eligible to submit a 

proposal provided the following: 

2.a. Adult Advisor: Each team must have an adult advisor at time of proposal who will be working with the team for the 

upcoming activity year. 

2.b. Adult Mentor: If selected to participate, each team must have an adult, high-powered rocketry mentor working 

with the team for the upcoming year who meets the following qualifications: 

2.b.1. Adult mentor must have a High-Powered Rocketry Certification of Level 2 or higher no later than the 

Preliminary Design Review Package (PDR Milestone) deadline. 

2.b.2. Adult mentor must have completed the launch and safe, dual-deployment recovery of at least 2 flights 

with the same (or higher) impulse class of motor the team intends to use for the Student Launch 

challenge no later than the Preliminary Design Review Package (PDR Milestone) deadline. 

2.b.3. Adult mentor must be in place and working with the team no later than the Preliminary Design Review 

Package (PDR Milestone) deadline. 

2.b.4. Adult mentor must attend all team launches. 

2.b.5 Adult mentor is considered the “owner” of the team’s rocket. 

2.b.6 Adult mentor must handle all motors and energetics for the team. 

2.c. At minimum, one of the adults associated with the team as outlined above, who is working with the team for the 

upcoming Student Launch activity year, must complete or have completed the Student Launch Advanced Rocketry 

Workshop (ARW) prior to the time of proposal. 

2.d. Eligibility to submit a proposal does not guarantee selection to participate in Student Launch. 

3. Term of Eligibility 

Once a team qualifies for eligibility according to section 1, the term of eligibility is two years provided the team submits a 

proposal for year one. 

3.a. If a team does not submit a proposal in year one, the team forfeits their two-year eligibility and must re-qualify 

according to the requirements in section 1. 

3.b. If a team’s proposal is not selected for year one, the team may submit a proposal for year two. 

3.c. If a team’s proposal is selected for year one, the team must meet all requirements and remain in good standing 

with the activity in year one to be eligible to submit a proposal for year two. 

3.d. Once two-year eligibility expires, teams must re-qualify to be eligible to submit a proposal for the upcoming 

activity year. See section 1. Re-qualification can take place concurrently with year two participation. 

3.e. Eligibility to submit a proposal does not guarantee selection to participate in Student Launch. 

Failure to abide by or adhere to any of the above requirements may result in teams’ removal from the Student Launch 

activity and forfeit of current and/or future eligibility.