International Competition
Would you like to fly for the USA in the rocketry Olympics?  Here is how these Olympics work and how you can be part of one of the US Teams that fly in them.

The World Space Modeling Championships (WSMC) is the Olympics of model rocketry competition, held every two years.   The NAR selects and sends a United States Junior (age 18 and under as of the year of the WSMC) and Senior team each time, to compete against national teams from around the world. The WSMC provides a unique teamwork environment where U.S. members compete for both individual and team medals in event teams of three fliers each (four if at least one of the fliers is female), with support from every other member of the U.S. Team not flying in that particular event. Each U.S. team member flies one or two of the eight events, and supports his or her teammates when they fly the other events.   It is an amazing experience of camaraderie, teamwork, and interesting travel for everyone on the team, and their accompanying family members.  The Apogee newsletter attached at the bottom of the page has a great description of how valuable this experience is for young students.

If you would qualify as a Junior team member (born after 1/1/2009) and would like to request a mentor to learn how to fly for the team, please scan this QR code.

About 25 countries have teams that fly in international competition. International model rocket competition is organized under the auspices of the FAI (Federation Aeronautique Internationale), the international body for aerospace sport competition and records. Under their rules it is called  "spacemodeling".  An overview of international spacemodeling is provided on the FAI web site (https://www.fai.org/page/s-space-models).  The latest (2025) edition of the FAI Sporting Code for Space Models is attached below.

International spacemodeling competition events are somewhat similar to NAR events (streamer duration, parachute duration, scale, and others). However, FAI events have model dimension requirements that lead to models and construction methods different from what is normally seen in NAR competition. The requirements are documented in the 2025 FAI Sporting Code for Space Models (the international equivalent of the NAR Model Rocket Sporting Code). 

A World Spacemodeling Championships (WSMC) has been held by the FAI about every two years since 1972 (a separate class for Juniors began in 1994).  Since 1992 these have all been held somewhere in Europe, usually Eastern Europe.  The most recent contest was in Zrenjanin, Serbia in 2005 and the next will be in Wloclawek, Poland in the summer of 2027.

The eight events for a WSMC as defined in the FAI Sporting Code are the following:

• S1 - Altitude (S1A where the "A" refers to power class, 2.5 N-sec for Juniors; S1B, 5 N-sec for Seniors) (see S2/P below)
• S3 - Parachute Duration (S3A for Juniors and Seniors)
• S4 - Rocket Glider (free flight) (S4A for Juniors and Seniors)
• S5 - Scale Altitude (S5B for Juniors or 5 N-sec, S5C for Seniors, 10 N-sec)
• S6 - Streamer Duration (S6A for Juniors and Seniors)
• S7 - Scale
• S8 - Radio Controlled Rocket Glider (S8D for Juniors, S8P for Seniors)
• S9 - Gyrocopter (Helicopter) Duration (S9A for Juniors and Seniors)

An additional non-world-championship event is also occasionally flown but it is unclear if it will be flown in Poland :

• S2/P - Precision Fragile Payload (similar to TARC)

 

The U.S. Teams (Junior and Senior) for a WSMC are selected by a flyoff process that is held at NARAM one year prior to the WSMC. The flyoff is open to all U.S. NAR members.  Bulletin #1 for the 2025 U.S. Team, attached below, has complete details on the team selection process for the US Teams (Junior and Senior). The next flyoff, for the 2027 team will be held at NARAM in Muncie, Indiana June 28th - July 2nd in the summer of 2026. The information in this section of the NAR website shows you how to build and fly the models needed to compete for a spot on one of the US Teams.

In between the biennial WSMC, regional FAI-sanctioned international competitions called "World Cups" are held each year, each with 4 or 5 of the 8 WSMC events. U.S. FAI fliers use these to practice their skills in preparation for a WSMC or for the US team-selection flyoff. Of the 25 or so that are held worldwide each year there are typically 3 or 4 of these held in the US. 

Four NAR/FAI Cup events are currently scheduled for the U.S. this year.  They are:

Arizona Cup

28 Feb - 1 Mar

Tucson, AZ

Emma Kristal CD (Arizona Time Zone)

Events: S2P Precision Eggloft Duration, S4A A BG, S6A 1/2A Streamer Duration, S7

Scale, S8P Precision Radio Control Rocket Glide Duration, S9A 1/2A Helicopter

Duration

NARAM Cup / 2027 US Team Flyoffs

28-Jun - 2 Jul

Muncie, IN

Matt Steele CD (Eastern Time Zone)

Cup + NARAM Events: S2P Precision Eggloft Duration, S4A A BG, S6A 1/2A Streamer

Duration, S7 Scale, S8P Precision Radio Control Rocket Glide Duration, S9A 1/2A

Helicopter Duration

US Team Flyoffs Events: S5B B Scale Altitude (Juniors), S5C C Scale Altitude

(Seniors), S8D D Radio Control Rocket Glide Duration (Juniors)

NRC Events: C Eggloft Altitude. A Altitude, Concept Scale

CanAm Cup

24-26 July

Geneseo, NY

Jim Filler, CD (Eastern Time Zone)

Events: S2P Precision Eggloft Duration, S4A A BG, S6A 1/2A Streamer Duration, S7

Scale, S8P Precision Radio Control Rocket Glide Duration, S9A 1/2A Helicopter

Duration

G Harry Stine Cup

18-20 Sep

Bellevue, WA

Pete Schurke, CD (Pacific Time Zone)

Events: S2P Precision Eggloft Duration, S4A A BG, S6A 1/2A Streamer Duration, S7

Scale, S8P Precision Radio Control Rocket Glide Duration, S9A 1/2A Helicopter

Duration

See the links below for more information about international spacemodeling competition and the World Spacemodeling Championships.

 

If you would like to communicate with an experienced US FAI flier to get help in learning more about particular events or the whole process and experience of flying at a World Championships, use the list of FAI Spacemodeling Advisors below to connect with someone who is ready and willing to help.

Use these links to find out more about how to be part of this fun and challenging rocketry activity.

• FAI World Championship Events
• How to try out for the next US Team
• US FAI Spacemodeling Advisors
• Traveling and Operating Overseas
• Construction techniques, technical information, and sources for supplies
• European Motor Information
• Past US Teams (Under Construction)