A Good Egg: Skyline Rocketeers Invited to TARC Finals in Washington, DC

The Skyline High School Physics club has qualified a team to compete in the Team America Rocketry Challenge National Fly-Off on May 11. 

Five juniors, Ian Walp, Crystal Liang, Kieran Dong, Griffin Johnson, and Pan Zheng, worked together to design, construct, test, and successfully launch a model rocket carrying a raw egg over 750 feet into the atmosphere and recover it safely — without cracking the egg — in order to qualify.

Some other restrictions that the team is required to overcome include a flight duration between 48-50 seconds; a rocket diameter no smaller than no less than 60 millimeters; recovery by a 15 inch diameter parachute; and a liftoff weight of no more than 650 grams. 

Skyline High physics teacher and club advisor Becky Fowler said the team were informed last week that they are among the top 100 teams in the nation and have been invited to Washington, DC, to compete next month.

"Ian, Crystal, and Kieran were all part of the nationally qualifying team from Skyline in 2011, too!" she said. "We're excited to be only 1 of 2 teams from the entire state to qualify for the national finals"

The other Washington team that qualified for the competition hails from Northwest Yeshiva High School on Mercer Island.