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Robert Goddard: First Launch Centennial

Thousands of adults and young people (students, parents, engineers, technical professionals, and more) will celebrate the centennial of Robert Goddard’s first successful liquid-fueled rocket launch on 16 March 1926.

To acknowledge the pivotal role that both Robert and his wife, Esther, played in shaping our modern world, AIAA is working with dozens of aeronautic, rocketry, and aviation organizations to jointly celebrate and recognize the advancements made by these brilliant people. Between 16–22 March, join thousands of other rocketry and space enthusiasts of all ages in honoring the Goddards by launching a rocket and sharing it on social media using the hashtag #Goddard100Launch.

No matter where in the world you are, you can be a part of this celebration by posting pictures and descriptions of your experience with rocketry at any level. Whether it’s a stomp rocket in the backyard, or a high-powered rocket launched by a university team – join the mass of people saluting and remembering (or perhaps learning about for the first time) Robert and Esther Goddard.

Available Resources
  • Exploration Generation Free Rocketry Lessons (elementary, middle, and high school content). Learn More
  • You can purchase the new Robert Goddard Rocket by Estes Rockets for a hands-on connection to the moment modern rocketry began. Purchase a Robert Goddard Rocket
  • The Robert Goddard Rocket STEM Toolkit is a downloadable PDF resource that extends the build and launch experience through hands-on activities, reflection prompts, and historical context. The toolkit includes student challenges such as quizzes, science writing exercises, engineering design activities, and simple experiments that explore liquid-fueled rocketry, cause-and-effect in launches, and iterative problem-solving. Designed to be flexible, the activities can be used individually or together to help students connect Robert Goddard’s early innovations to modern STEM concepts and engineering practices.
  • Download the Robert Goddard STEM Kit

Robert Goddard Illustration1
Robert Goddard (1882-1945). American physicist. Goddard’s first successful launching of a liquid-fuel rocket at Auburn, Massachusetts, 16 March 1926. | Credit: Clark University Archives and Special Collections

Goddard With First Liquid Propulsion Rocket Pic Credit Clark University Archives And Special Collections 1
Goddard With First Liquid Propulsion Rocket. | Credit: Clark University Archives and Special Collections

2026 Region VII Student Conference

AIAA is pleasead to announce that the Region VII/International Student Conference will be held from 3–4 December 2026 (TENTATIVE) at Adelaide University Student Branch, Adelaide, Australia & Online. This conference is intended for AIAA Region VII Students from around the world, with the exceptions of Canada and Mexico, which have been incorporated into AIAA’s North America Regions. The conference will also be hybrid with an online component to accommodate students who are not able to travel to Australia to present their paper in-person.

The AIAA Region VII Student Conference is a technical and oral paper competition for high schoolers (grades 9–12), undergraduate and graduate students of all majors! Connect with professionals in the Aerospace industry and also meet other like-minded students who share similar interests, and receive feedback on your work! Students may submit any paper that covers the technical disciplines of AIAA, and will have the chance to compete for cash prizes in a fun-filled two-day event.

*This competition is subject to all applicable laws, including US export laws. US law prevents AIAA from accepting registration fees, awarding prize money to, providing feedback on or publishing entries from, persons residing in Iran, Cuba, North Korea, Crimea, Sudan, or Syria. Additionally with respect to the conflict in Ukraine, AIAA will continue our practice not allowing Russian- or Belarusian-based students to participate in the AIAA Region VII Student Conference.

AIAA Regional Student Conferences Webinar

 On-Demand Recording Available

Watch Replay

Join us for this webinar to learn more about our Regional Student Conferences and the many benefits of participating.

AIAA’s Regional Student Conferences offer an annual opportunity for undergraduate, graduate, and (new this year) high school students to present and publish their work in a smaller conference setting. In addition to competing for cash prizes, participants gain valuable experience presenting their research, receiving constructive feedback from aerospace professionals, and connecting with peers from other universities. The conferences also feature guest speakers, exhibitor and recruiter interactions, lab and industry tours, and more.

Our Regions I-VI Student Conference is coming up this Spring 2026 and the Call for Abstracts is now open.

Dates, locations, and details for the Regional Student Conferences can be found here .

30th Annual Design/Build/Fly Competition

The AIAA through the Applied Aerodynamics, Aircraft Design, Design Engineering and Flight Test Technical Committees and the AIAA Foundation invites all university students to participate in the Cessna/Raytheon Missile Systems Student Design Build Fly competition. The contest will provide a real-world aircraft design experience for engineering students by giving them the opportunity to validate their analytic studies;

Student teams will design, fabricate, and demonstrate the flight capabilities of an unmanned, electric powered, radio controlled aircraft which can best meet the specified mission profile. The goal is a balanced design possessing good demonstrated flight handling qualities and practical and affordable manufacturing requirements while providing a high vehicle performance.

To encourage innovation and maintain a fresh design challenge for each new years participants, the design requirements and performance objective will be updated for each new contest year. The changes will provide new design requirements and opportunities, while allowing for application of technology developed by the teams from prior years.

2026 Region VI Student Conference

Submit an Abstract  Student Conference Rules 

Conference Host: California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo, CA
Conference Location: Advanced Tech Labs at Cal Poly SLO

Take part in AIAA’s Regional Student Conference by presenting your research in a formal technical meeting, exchange ideas, and discuss programs with students from other universities in your region.

Please note: A high school or university student in good standing at their institution who is also an AIAA student member is eligible to submit a paper to the Regional Student Conference. The submitting and presenting author(s) must be AIAA student members. Any student may attend the Regional Student Conference but may be subjected to a higher registration fee if they are not AIAA members. Please click here for more information to join as an AIAA Student Member.

You must be attending a high school/college/university in Region VI to participate in the Region VI Student Conference. Students can petition to present at a conference outside their university’s region by emailing [email protected].

Region VI includes Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Nevada, California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and Hawaii. Additionally, it includes the Canadian provinces of Yukon and British Columbia.

Cash prizes are awarded for first, second, and third place winners for each category.

Refer to the Student Conferences webpage for conference rules and FAQs.

2026 Region V Student Conference

 Student Conference Rules 

Conference Host: Iowa State University, Howe Hall & Sukup Hall, Ames, IA
Conference Dates: 26–27 March 2026

Take part in AIAA’s Regional Student Conference by presenting your research in a formal technical meeting, exchange ideas, and discuss programs with students from other universities in your region.

Please note: A high school or university student in good standing at their institution who is also an AIAA student member is eligible to submit a paper to the Regional Student Conference. The submitting and presenting author(s) must be AIAA student members. Any student may attend the Regional Student Conference but may be subjected to a higher registration fee if they are not AIAA members. Please click here for more information to join as an AIAA Student Member.

You must be attending a high school/college/university in Region V to participate in the Region V Student Conference. Students can petition to present at a conference outside their university’s region by emailing [email protected].

Region V includes Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana. Additionally, it includes the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut.

Cash prizes are awarded for first, second, and third place winners for each category.

2026 Region IV Student Conference

Student Conference Rules 

Host: Rice University, Houston, Texas
Venue: Duncan Hall, Rice University

Take part in AIAA’s Regional Student Conference by presenting your research in a formal technical meeting, exchange ideas, and discuss programs with students from other universities in your region.

Please note: A high school or university student in good standing at their institution who is also an AIAA student member is eligible to submit a paper to the Regional Student Conference. The submitting and presenting author(s) must be AIAA student members. Any student may attend the Regional Student Conference but may be subjected to a higher registration fee if they are not AIAA members. Please click here for more information to join as an AIAA Student Member.

You must be attending a high school/college/university in Region IV to participate in the Region IV Student Conference. Students can petition to present at a conference outside their university’s region by emailing [email protected].

Region IV includes Arkansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Texas. Additionally, it includes Mexico.

Cash prizes are awarded for first, second, and third place winners for each category.

Refer to the Student Conferences webpage for conference rules and FAQs.

2026 Region III Student Conference

 Student Conference Rules 

Conference Host: University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor, MI
Conference Venue: Francois-Xavier Bagnoud (FXB) Building – 1320 Beal Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 and Ford Motor Company Robotics Building (FMCRB) – 2505 Hayward St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109

Take part in AIAA’s Regional Student Conference by presenting your research in a formal technical meeting, exchange ideas, and discuss programs with students from other universities in your region.

Please note: A high school or university student in good standing at their institution who is also an AIAA student member is eligible to submit a paper to the Regional Student Conference. The submitting and presenting author(s) must be AIAA student members. Any student may attend the Regional Student Conference but may be subjected to a higher registration fee if they are not AIAA members. Please click here for more information to join as an AIAA Student Member.

You must be attending a high school/college/university in Region III to participate in the Region III Student Conference. Students can petition to present at a conference outside their university’s region by emailing [email protected].

Region III includes Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin.

Cash prizes are awarded for first, second, and third place winners for each category.

Refer to the Student Conferences webpage for conference rules and FAQs.

2026 Region II Student Conference

 Student Conference Rules 

Conference Host: University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC
Conference Venue: Russell House
Conference Dates: 26–27 March 2026

Take part in AIAA’s Regional Student Conference by presenting your research in a formal technical meeting, exchange ideas, and discuss programs with students from other universities in your region.

Please note: A high school or university student in good standing at their institution who is also an AIAA student member is eligible to submit a paper to the Regional Student Conference. The submitting and presenting author(s) must be AIAA student members. Any student may attend the Regional Student Conference but may be subjected to a higher registration fee if they are not AIAA members. Please click here for more information to join as an AIAA Student Member.

You must be attending a high school/college/university in Region II to participate in the Region II Student Conference.

Region II includes North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. Additionally, it includes students from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Cash prizes are awarded for first, second, and third place winners for each category.

Refer to the Student Conferences webpage for conference rules and FAQs.

2026 Region I Student Conference

 Student Conference Rules 

Conference Host: University of Maryland College Park

Take part in AIAA’s Regional Student Conference by presenting your research in a formal technical meeting, exchange ideas, and discuss programs with students from other universities in your region.

Please note: A high school or university student in good standing at their institution who is also an AIAA student member is eligible to submit a paper to the Regional Student Conference. The submitting and presenting author(s) must be AIAA student members. Any student may attend the Regional Student Conference but may be subjected to a higher registration fee if they are not AIAA members. Please click here for more information to join as an AIAA Student Member.

You must be attending a high school/college/university in Region I to participate in the Region I Student Conference. Students can petition to present at a conference outside their university’s region by emailing [email protected].

Region I includes Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, and Washington DC. Additionally, it includes students from the Canadian provinces of Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland and Labrador.

Cash prizes are awarded for first, second, and third place winners for each category.

Refer to the Student Conferences webpage for conference rules and FAQs.