NAR Presents First Annual HPR Tech Award at NSL 2010

At the 2010 National Sport Launch held over Memorial Day Weekend in White Sands and Alamogordo, New Mexico, the National Association of Rocketry (NAR) awarded its first annual High Power Rocketry Technology Achievement Award, which went to John Derimiggio (NAR #136) for an altimeter design.  This design can be seen at Rocketry Planet (see link below), where it was previewed before its debut at LDRS 28.  The award includes a cash award of $500.

The HPR Technology Award is given “to an individual NAR member who has demonstrated the most outstanding innovation or accomplishment in a flight project involving high-power rocketry,” whether it be a new invention or a new integration of existing technologies.  These innovations can be in the areas of airframe design or construction, payload, tracking, recovery system, or mission performance.  The amount of rocket motor total impulse or number or types of motor used will not be a factor in judging as long as the project has flown using at least one motor containing at least 160 N-sec of total impulse.

For consideration for the award, nomination packages are submitted by individual NAR members, either nominating themselves or nominating another NAR member.  The nomination package must document and describe the project or technical advance and how it has advanced high-power rocketry.  The package should include a chronology to establish that the work was completed and was demonstrated in flight in the calendar year covered by the award cycle, approximate costs of the project, and references to supporting work (if any) done by others as part of the project.  Packages will be judged by a committee of high-power rocket flyers and technical experts established by the NAR Sport Services Committee.

The winner must be a member of the National Association of Rocketry, and must have been a member at the time that the project was demonstrated in flight.  Furthermore, the project must have been conducted in accordance with the High Power Rocketry Safety Code and policies of the National Association of Rocketry, using high power rocket motors whose certification is recognized by the NAR.

The nomination deadline is February 1 each year for technology that has flown during the previous year.  Complete award information, including deadlines and package requirements, is available at the NAR website (see link).