A team of Bellevue, Wash., high schoolers soared above teams from France, Japan, the UK, and Ukraine to win the International Rocketry Challenge in England over the weekend.
Washington Youth Aerospace, a team made up of six ninth graders from Bellevue’s Interlake High School, represented the United States in the competition at the Farnborough International Airshow. Team members include Daniel Tadesse, Bao-Ky Tran, Mikhail Antipin, Antoine Vigneron, Nikhil Sirivara, and Anay Mediwala.
With a target altitude of 750 feet, the team launched its rocket, carrying a raw egg payload, to an altitude of 765 feet with a flight time of 38.16 seconds.
The rocket launch counts for 60% of a team’s score and a presentation for judges counts for 40%. The team ranked first in both categories.
“Our success in the competition is extremely special given the work we have been putting in from middle school,” team lead Nikhil Sirivara told GeekWire. “We could not have done this without the mentors and friends who helped us along the way and this win has inspired us to aim even higher going forward.”
Washington Youth Aerospace finished second in May at the 2026 National Finals of the American Rocketry Challenge, overcoming a last-minute scramble to replace a rocket motor that was lost in the mail. The team stepped in to represent the U.S. in the international event when the national finals winner from California had a scheduling conflict.
Sudheer Sirivara, a parent advisor and chaperone, said the students got a chance to interact with the teams from other countries and also had a cultural exchange program where each group presented something unique about their hometown.
They also explored interesting aircraft, including Black Hawk and Chinook helicopters, and C-130 and F-35 airplanes. The team had a chance to see London before returning to the Pacific Northwest on Sunday.
“This remarkable achievement reflects months of dedication, innovation, teamwork, and perseverance,” the American Rocketry Challenge said in a LinkedIn post. “From designing and testing their rocket to competing on the global stage, these students demonstrated the technical skill and determination that define the next generation of aerospace leaders.”
The American Rocketry Challenge is the flagship STEM initiative from the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) trade group, and is supported by industry partners as a way of strengthening the workforce pipeline of engineers and scientists.
Washington Youth Aerospace is looking forward to participating in the NASA Student Launch Initiative (SLI) next, as well as next year’s rocket challenge.
