2020-2021 NASA Student Launch Teams 

College and University Division 

Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, California 

California State University, Long Beach, California 

Fort Lewis College, Durango, Colorado 

Kent State University, Kent, Ohio 

New York University, New York, New York

North Carolina Agriculture and Technical State University, Greensboro, North Carolina 

North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina

Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois

The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio

Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon

Piedmont Virginia Community College, Charlottesville, Virginia 

Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 

Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Terre Haute, Indiana

United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado 

University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, Alabama 

University of California, Davis, Davis, California

University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 

University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California

University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 

University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina

University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, North Dakota

University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana

University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus, Mayagüez, Puerto Rico

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, Tennessee

The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas
University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas

Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia

Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri

Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts

Middle School and High School Division

Creekview High School, Canton, Georgia

East Fairmont Middle School, Fairmont, West Virginia

Engineering and Technologies Academy at Roosevelt High School, San Antonio, Texas

Harrison Central School District, Harrison, New York

Madison West High School, Madison, Wisconsin

Minster STEM Club, Minster, Ohio

Nativity Catholic Parish, Burke, Virginia

Oakton High School, Vienna, Virginia

Plantation High School, Plantation, Florida

Sierra Vista Middle School, Irvine, California

Spring Grove Area High School, Spring Grove, Pennsylvania

St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, Akron, Ohio

Sylvania Northview High School, Sylvania, Ohio

Whitney M. Young Magnet High School, Chicago, Illinois

NASA Student Launch Winners 2021

Student Launch Division Top 5

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Vanderbilt University

University of Notre Dame

Purdue University

North Carolina State University

Student Launch Design Division Top 3

New York University
University of California, Los Angeles

The Ohio State University 

2021 Category Award Winners

Rookie Award

Presented to the top rookie team on the college and university level:

1st Place: Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri

2nd Place: New York University, New York, New York

3rd Place: University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, North Dakota

 

Judges' Choice Award (Middle/High School Level)

Presented to the middle or high school team that is selected by a secret panel of judges to have had the 

most creative payload, best design and workmanship of its rocket.

1st Place: Sylvania Northview High School, Sylvania, Ohio

2nd Place: Harrison Central School District, Harrison, New York

3rd Place: Whitney M. Young Magnet High School, Chicago, Illinois

 

Vehicle Design Award (Design Division)

Presented to the team with the most creative, innovative and safety-conscious overall rocket design:

1st Place: University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California

 

Experiment Design Award (Design Division)

Presented to the team with the most creative and innovative payload design while maximizing safety 

and science value:

1st Place: The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio

 

Experiment Design Award (Launch Division)

Presented to the team with the most creative and innovative payload design while maximizing safety 

and science value:

1st Place: University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina

2nd Place: Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
3rd Place: Kent State University, Kent, Ohio

 

Safety Award (College Level, any division)

Presented to the team that most successfully maximized safety and science value in its design:

1st Place: University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana

2nd Place: North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina

3rd Place: University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina

 

Project Review Award (Design Division)

Presented to the team with the best combination of written reviews and formal presentations:

1st Place: New York University, New York, New York

 

Project Review Award (Launch Division)

Presented to the team with the best combination of written reviews and formal presentations:

1st Place: California State University, Long Beach, California

2nd Place: Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee

3rd Place: Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 

 

AIAA Reusable Launch Vehicle Award (Launch Division)

Presented to the team with the most creative, innovative, and well-constructed overall design while still 

maximizing safety and efficiency:

1st Place: North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina

2nd Place: Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri

3rd Place: Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee

 

STEM Engagement Award (College Level, any division)

Presented to the team that best informed others about rocketry and other space-related topics:

1st Place: Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee

2nd Place: Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri 
3rd Place: University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana

 

STEM Engagement Award (Middle/High School Level)

Presented to the team that best informed others about rocketry and other space-related topics.

1st Place: Oakton High School, Vienna, Virginia

2nd Place: Harrison Central School District, Harrison, New York

3rd Place: Sylvania Northview High School, Sylvania, Ohio

 

Altitude Award (College Level, Launch Division)

Presented to the college or university team that comes closest to its declared target altitude on as 

recorded in their Flight Readiness Review:

1st Place: University of North Carolina at Charlotte, North Carolina

2nd Place: University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 

3rd Place: The University of Texas at Arlington, Texas 

 

Altitude Award (Middle/High School Level)

Presented to the middle or high school team that comes closest to its declared target altitude as 

recorded in their Flight Readiness Review:

1st Place: Sylvania Northview High School, Sylvania, Ohio

2nd Place: Nativity Catholic Parish, Burke, Virginia

3rd Place: Spring Grove Area High School, Spring Grove, Pennsylvania 

 

Social Media Award (College Level, any division)

Presented to the college or university team that has the most active and creative social media presence 

throughout the project year:

1st Place: Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana

2nd Place: University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus, Mayagüez, Puerto Rico

3rd Place: North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina

 

Social Media Award (Middle/High School Level)
Presented to the middle or high school team that has the most active and creative social media 

presence throughout the project year:

1st Place: Sylvania Northview High School, Sylvania, Ohio

2nd Place: Oakton High School, Vienna, Virginia 

3rd Place: Minster STEM Club, Minster, Ohio

Best-Looking Rocket Award (College Level, any division)

Presented to the college or university team that is judged by their peers to have had the best-looking 

rocket:

1st Place: California State University, Long Beach, California

2nd Place: Kent State University, Kent, Ohio

3rd Place: Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 

 

Best-Looking Rocket Award (Middle/High School Level)

Presented to the middle or high school team that is judged by its peers to have had the best-looking 

rocket:

1st Place: Sylvania Northview High School, Sylvania, Ohio

2nd Place: St. Vincent – St. Mary High School, Akron, Ohio

3rd Place: Oakton High School, Vienna, Virginia

 

Team Spirit Award (College Level, any division)

Presented to the college or university team that is judged by its peers to have had the best team spirit:

1st Place: Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama

2nd Place: California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, California

3rd Place: University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana

 

Team Spirit (Middle/High School Level)

Presented to the middle or high school team that is judged by its peers to have had the best team spirit:

1st Place: Harrison Central School District, Harrison, New York

2nd Place: Madison West High School, Madison, Wisconsin

3rd Place: Sylvania Northview High School, Sylvania, Ohio