New Mexico State University students pose with their rockets ahead of a series of NAR certification flights at Spaceport America on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026 (photo credit: William Gutman)LAS CRUCES, N.M. (Wednesday, February 18, 2026) – Students from New Mexico State University (NMSU) and the Albuquerque Civil Air Patrol Group NM-079 completed a series of rocket launches at Spaceport America on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026.
Saturday's event was coordinated in part by NMSU Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering student Joshua Davila, who serves as the Atomic Aggies' (the competition rocketry team of NMSU) National Association of Rocketry (NAR) Section #982 President and Solid Propulsions Lead. In addition to identifying the NAR fliers from NMSU, Davila also involved seven American Rocketry Challenge (ARC) teams throughout the region to promote Saturday's event as an opportunity to conduct preliminary launches.
"We, the Atomic Aggies, are incredibly proud of the growing community of local rocketry enthusiasts we are building connections with," said Davila. "We're thrilled to have local American rocketry challenge teams joining us for launches at Spaceport America."
The NMSU students who launched represented the Atomic Aggies Rocketry Team. Of the team members in attendance, 10 earned their Level 1 certifications from the National Association of Rocketry (NAR) for succeeding in launching their rockets up to 1,700 feet. Of the 11 rockets launched from the spaceport, 10 achieved successful flights.
Students and supervisors from the Albuquerque Civil Air Patrol pose with their rocket ahead of a series of test flights at Spaceport America on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026 (photo credit: William GutmanLed by Lt. Col. Michael O'Dell, the Albuquerque Civil Air Patrol team members were able to launch their rocket three times, completing the preliminary work for their ARC launches. The ARC is the world's largest student rocket competition, and boasts over 1,100 middle and high school teams who will be competing at Great Meadow Foundation in The Plains, Va., in May of 2026.
"The annual American Rocketry Challenge provides our Civil Air Patrol cadets a five-month long hands-on science and engineering challenge, and they love it," O'Dell commented. "I brag about our students and how bright they are, but for me this represents another opportunity; to showcase New Mexico. This group and those that follow will all go off to universities and set loftier goals and with this experience coupled with these types of partnerships, we can keep some of them right here in our state."
It marks the second-straight year in which NMSU students were able to secure their NAR Level 1 certifications by conducting flights at Spaceport America. Davila hopes to continue partnering with Spaceport America to bring in more NAR filers and ARC teams in years to come.
An NMSU student rocket takes off from Spaceport America's Horizontal Launch Area on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026 (photo credit: William Gutman)"This expands and develops upon what students learn in the classroom and deepens their passion for STEM through practical application. When we bring all levels of experience together on the launch pad, we foster a love of learning while building lasting connections within our rocketry community," Davila finished.
Spaceport America engages in STEM and workforce outreach with academic institutions throughout the region which ranges from spaceport visits by K-12 students, to classroom visits by spaceport personnel, and support for university capstone projects.
"It is part of our mission to help students 'dream big' and become the industry's future workforce," said Spaceport America Executive Director Scott McLaughlin. "The American Rocketry Challenge is a national event that we want to help expand in New Mexico. Having NMSU students fly rockets with ARC students is a perfect union and a memorable and instructional time at the spaceport. Thank you, Josh, and our own Dr. Joachim Lohn-Jaramillo, for leading the charge."
Spaceport America ( https://www.spaceportamerica.com ) is the first purpose-built commercial spaceport in the world. The FAA-licensed launch complex, situated on 18,000 acres adjacent to the U.S. Army White Sands Missile Range in southern New Mexico, has a rocket friendly environment of 6,000 square miles of restricted airspace, low population density, a 12,000-foot by 200-foot runway, vertical launch complexes, and about 340 days of sunshine and low humidity.
Some of the most respected companies in the commercial space industry are tenants at Spaceport America: Virgin Galactic, HAPSMobile/ AeroVironment, UP Aerospace, SpinLaunch, Swift Engineering, Prismatic Ltd., a subsidiary of BAE Systems, and Hermeus.
The Atomic Aggies expand interest and experience in rocketry at New Mexico State University through student-led competition, hands-on manufacturing, and rigorous engineering design. Members mentor new and future members, host technical workshops, and collaborate across disciplines by welcoming undergraduates from all majors who are curious, passionate, and ready to roll up their sleeves.
Since 2002, the American Rocketry Challenge, the world's largest student rocket competition, has engaged more than 100,000 middle and high school students in model rocketry. The annual challenge invites students to design, build, and fly rockets to exacting requirements and gain hands-on experience solving engineering problems. Sponsored by Aerospace Industries Association, the National Association of Rocketry, and more than 15 industry, government, and academia partners, the American Rocketry Challenge is the aerospace and defense industry's flagship program designed to encourage students to pursue study and careers in STEM. The program has launched countless careers in aerospace and defense, and its alumni are helping to engineer the vehicles that will take us back to the moon, and, one day, to Mars.
