The NAR Announces More COVID-19 Delays

From National Association of Rocketry President, John Hochheimer:

NARAM 62 Update: The COVID-19 pandemic creates significant uncertainty associated with holding our planned summer events. Therefore, the NAR is postponing NARAM 62 and will hold it in 2021. Please note, by making the decision now, the NAR minimizes its substantial financial risk associated with making a decision to postpone or cancel at a later date. We are working closely with the host Section's leaders and the Contest Director, the launch site owners, and the hotels and meeting spaces to reschedule. I will announce updates as soon as we can finalize all the arrangements. All currently paid registration fees will be refunded as soon as possible.

NRC 2020 Update: In accordance with guidance I issued on 3/292020, NRC launches, as well as sport launches, remain suspended until at least April 16, 2020. When NAR launch activities resume, Dan Wolf, the Contest Board Chair, will provide details on how the 2019-2020 NRC will continue into 2021.

NSL 2020 Update: The NAR continues to have flexibility and minimal financial risk in the go/no-go decision process for the National Sport Launch 2020. Because we have no financial burden, the NAR will wait until early May to make a final decision. In the event of cancellation, all registration fees paid prior to cancellation will be refunded.

Annual NAR Meeting and Board of Trustee Elections: Since we are postponing NARAM, there will not be an in-person meeting of the Association and in-person voting of trustees. We are working on options to hold some form of association meeting and will provide details when they are available. Our election of trustees will be held as usual, with the exception of the capacity to vote in-person. On-line voting will be available, as will paper ballots that will be mailed in the next edition of Sport Rocketry.

An update on large group gatherings (such as launches and meetings) will be issued by April 15.

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Update from the National Association of Rocketry re: COVID-19

Well, two posts in one day. A lot of stuff happening these days.

From the Facebook group of the National Association of Rocketry:

March 17: Update on COVID-19 for National Association of Rocketry

Recently, the recommendations from the White House and CDC on minimizing the risk and spread of COVID-19 have been updated to ask that all “Avoid social gatherings in groups of 10 people.” (Reference)

This recommendation is pretty clear and should be followed by all to help slow down and stop this rapidly growing health concern.

Based on the recommendation of the President and CDC, as the President of the NAR Board, I am instituting the following policy to take effect immediately and be in effect for a minimum of 15 days (March 17 -April 1, 2020):

1. All NAR Sections shall postpone or cancel Section launches, meetings, and other group activities during this period.

. There should be no organized launches, meetings, and other group activities of 10 or more persons during this period.

I will send an update on the policy on or before April 1.

I ask that all members please adhere to the intent and spirit of this policy and help to protect all who would be attending a launch from the possible infection of this virus. TARC launches have been suspended indefinitely by AIA and the NAR, so there will not be any TARC teams needing our help with qualification flights. I understand this is a potential hardship for some, but the desire to fly rockets in large groups does not supersede the potential risk of infecting someone attending a NAR launch.

Thank you and please be safe!

John N. Hochheimer
President National Association of Rocketry

These are indeed interesting times.

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TARC Suspended Due to COVID-19

From an email issued by The American Rocketry Challenge, or TARC:

Hi Rocketeers, 

As always, one of our priorities is to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our entire community. Therefore, we ask that you follow all guidance you are receiving from your schools, as well as state and local health departments, on COVID-19. 

We are closely monitoring the situation with school closures across the country, as school groups compose a great number of our teams. Due to the growing number of extended closures, all qualification flight submissions are suspended effective immediately. At this time, we ask that you do not submit any additional qualification flight scores and cancel all scheduled launches. 

We are still determining when and in what form the National Finals may take place. We will keep you updated in the coming days regarding resumption of launches/submission of qualification flights. 

Additionally, we are also indefinitely extending the submission deadlines for the Engineering Notebook and Marketing Competitions. Please follow the instructions on the competition pages on our website to learn how to submit. 

Please let our team know if you have any questions in the meantime. 

Best, 

Jeremy Davis 

Program Manager, The American Rocketry Challenge

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