DPF stands for a Dollar Per Foot

New TCPF stands for Ten Cents Per Foot

DPF, Georgia Tech, Yellow Jacket Space Program, with 30,178-Feet on December 17, 2023

DPF, UCF, Knight Experimental Rocketry, with 4,884-Feet on July 15, 2023

DPF, UCLA with 22,437-Feet on March 18, 2023

DPF, Purdue with 4,257-Feet on June 5, 2022

DPF, SDSU with 13,205-Feet on February 1, 2020

The Rules are as follows:

  • Open to US and Canadian Universities and Colleges only
    • No High-Schools
  • All team members must be current students or has graduated in the school year of the launch
  • Single-Stage Rockets Only
    • No dropping tanks or other portions of the rocket
  • Liquid Propellants Only 
    • No solids or hybrids or monopropellants.
    • Starting January 1, 2024.
      • All DPF contestants must use a bipropellant rocket utilizing liquid oxygen as an oxidizer.
      • All TCPF contestants must use a bipropellant rocket utilizing nitrous oxide as an oxidizer.
  • Must use Two-Stage Recovery
    • Deploys drogue-parachute at apogee
    • Deploys main-parachute below 1000-feet
      • Deploying the main parachute at apogee will disqualify the team.
  • Recovers Successfully
    • Returns on main parachute.
    • Returns with nosecone and drogue parachute tethered to the rocket.
    • Sustains only minor damage.
      • Fin broken off on landing.
      • Rocket engine nozzle damaged on landing.
      • No structural damage.
      • The rest of the rocket must be in flyable condition.
  • It is highly recommended that GPS/Telemetry be added to your rocket to enable easy location of your rocket when it lands.
    • If you can't find your rocket, you will not be given the DPF or TCPF money.
  • Rocket must be rail or tower launched.
    • No active control systems
    • No movable fins
    • No canards
    • No TVC
  • Launches must be performed at FAR Site
  • Launches must be attempted on a normal FAR launch Saturday
    • Some exceptions can be made due to bad weather or high attendance on FAR Saturdays
  • Altitude must be determined by two commercially available recovery electronics.
    • The altitude must be determined by the lowest altitude measured of the two.
  • The rocket or rocket engine have not received the TCPF or DPF award before.
  • Must meet FAR/Mars safety requirements.
    • See FAR-Mars Safety Form
    • Safety form must be presented before rocket is placed on the launch rail or tower.
  • For DPF To compete, the team must agree to provide FAR with a complete set of the rocket design plans so that they may be shared with other student groups-our mission is rocket education! If another student group successfully builds and launches this design, they will receive the one-dollar-per-foot prize AND the original design team will also receive the same one-dollar-per-foot amount!
  • Launches requiring a new FAA COA.
    • A predicted altitude over 250,000-feet.
    • Launch team is responsible to acquire a new FAA COA.
    • COA must be coordinated with FAR.
    • Copy of COA must be sent to FAR two-weeks before launch.
  • Registration
    • Register through FAR Competition Registration webpage.
      • Register two-weeks before launch.
      • This registration does not substitute for a launch request.
    • File a Launch Request two-weeks before launch.
    • Currently there is no end-date for this contest.

Award:

  • DPF is $1 per foot of altitude above the end of the launch rail or tower.
    • Payable to the launch team's school account
  • TCPF is $0.10 per foot of altitude above the end of the launch rail or tower.
    • Payable to the launch team's school account