IREC - SPACEPORT AMERICA CUP

The Intercollegiate Rocket Engineering Competition (IREC), also known as the Spaceport America Cup, is the world's largest intercollegiate rocket engineering competition. Hosted annually at Spaceport America in New Mexico, this prestigious event brings together over 150 teams from universities around the globe to compete in designing, building, and launching high-powered rockets.

UB SEDS competes in the 10,000-foot SRAD (Student Researched and Developed) category, where teams must design and manufacture their own rocket motor from scratch. This challenging category requires extensive knowledge of propulsion systems, aerodynamics, structural design, and recovery systems. Teams are judged not only on achieving target altitude but also on technical innovation, safety protocols, and successful payload recovery.

The competition spans multiple days and includes technical design reviews, safety inspections, static fire tests, and the ultimate flight demonstration. Teams must present their designs to industry professionals, pass rigorous safety checks, and successfully demonstrate their motor's performance before being cleared for launch. The event provides invaluable real-world experience in aerospace project management and engineering.

Beyond the technical challenges, IREC offers unparalleled networking opportunities with aerospace industry leaders, potential employers, and fellow students from around the world. Many participants go on to careers at NASA, SpaceX, Blue Origin, and other leading aerospace companies. For UB SEDS, IREC represents the pinnacle of our technical achievements and serves as a driving force for innovation in all our rocketry programs.