FAR-Mars Rules

The prizes:

• The FAR prize is $50,000.
  
• The Mars prize is $50,000.
  
• Awarded to and spent by the university on student rocket projects or engineering student scholarships.
  
• For a multi-university team, the prize will be divided by the ratio of team members from each university.
  
• If no one wins one or both prizes, the remaining prizes will be offered again in one-year.

To qualify the team must:

• Consist of a combination of current college or university undergraduate or graduate students, or college or university
  undergraduate and graduate students that have just graduated that year.
• Must have at least one faculty adviser.

To qualify to win the FAR prize the rocket must:

• Have a bi-propellant rocket engine (NOT a solid, hybrid, or mono-propellant rocket motor/engine.)
• Have less than 200,000-lb-sec total impulse.
• Not have an engine that has competed before for FAR-Mars and won.
• Utilize two-stage deployed parachute recovery with a drogue parachute deployed at apogee and main parachute deployed below 1,000-feet.
• Cannot be actively guided, must have fixed fins, and launch from a fixed launch rail.
• The launch apogee must be at least 30,000-feet and no greater than 50,000-feet.
• Rockets flying above 45,000-feet will receive negative points.
• Successfully recover with minimal damage.
• 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 FAR-Mars money.
• Must be recovered the same day that it was launched.
• Altitude must be determined by two commercially available recovery electronics.
  • The altitude must be determined by the lowest altitude measured of the two.
  • The recovery electronics must be armed and disarmed by a team member while standing on the ground and not while on a ladder or in a forklift man basket.
• No added payload is required.
• Pass a safety inspection before it is launched.
• Construction must be complete before the time of the safety inspection.
• Be recovered the same day it is launched

The safety requirements for the inspection:

• Propellant tanks must be proof tested to 1.5 times their maximum operating pressure.
  
• Propellant tanks must have relief valves rated at 1.25 times their maximum operating pressure.
  
• For pressure fed rockets, the pressurant bottle must be commercially fabricated and tested (DOT rated) and used below its maximum pressure rating.
• Propellants must be filled and drained near the bottom of the rocket. The fill and drain can be above the rocket engine.
  
• Propellant tanks must have the Rocket Emergency Depressurization System (REDS), see tab on Launch Contest pull-down menu.
• Propellant tanks and pressurant bottle must have remote electronic pressure instrumentation for tank and bottle pressures. (Yes, pressure transducers and telemetry or data acquisition) (No, telescope/pressure gauges)
  
• Pressure umbilicals must have electromechanical, pneumatic, or lift-off releases. (No rope or cable pulls)
  
• Electrical umbilicals for REDS, remote vent controls, and bottle and tank pressure measurements must have at least two feet of slack and release after liftoff.
  
• Electrical ignition with key lock-out on the pad and with the same key lock-out at the main launch controller.
• Supply a drawing of the rocket showing the locations of manual vents, remote vents, REDS, all pressure transducers, electrical and pressure umbilicals, relief valves, and propellant fill and drain valves.
• Supply a document stating the maximum operating pressure and proof-pressure test pressures for the propellant tanks, maximum operating pressure and manufacturer maximum operating pressure of the pressurant bottle.

To qualify to win the Mars prize the rocket must:

• Utilize only liquid oxygen and liquid methane as the bipropellants.
• Meet all the FAR prize qualifications and scoring.
• A Mars prize qualified rocket can win both the FAR and Mars prizes, if the FAR portion of the prize has not already been won.

Scoring:

• Maximum score will be acquired if 45,000-feet is obtained.
  
• IF(Altitude >= 30,000) AND (Altitude <= 50,000) THEN Score = Altitude - 6*(Altitude above 45,000) ELSE 0

Sign Up:

• Teams must submit a competition request on the FAR website at least 14-days before launch day.
  
• Teams must submit a launch request on the FAR website at least 14-days be for launch day.