EuRoC 2026 — 7th European Rocketry Challenge

About EuRoC 2026

EuRoC is a rocket engineering competition for European university teams. The 7th edition runs from 15 to 21 October around Constância, Portugal, using the Pavilhão Desportivo de Constância as its paddock and Santa Margarida Military Camp as the launch site. The Portuguese Space Agency created and organises the challenge with support from the Portuguese Army and Constância municipality.

Teams arrive with university-developed rockets and must demonstrate more than a successful flight. Technical documentation, design quality, safety, preparation, launch operations and recovery all contribute to evaluation. At the paddock, the Technical Evaluation Board examines vehicles and guides teams through issues that must be resolved before flight. The military camp provides the controlled launch environment nine kilometres away. Workshops, team exchange and closing awards add professional and educational value around the campaign. Rules distinguish categories and requirements, so applicants must use current system and competition documents rather than infer eligibility from another year. Team selection occurs before the event, and general attendance does not provide access to restricted preparation or launch areas. Volunteer opportunities are separately published, giving non-competing participants a route to support delivery where accepted.

Event history and organiser

The Portuguese Space Agency created the European Rocketry Challenge in 2020 as the first launch competition specifically for European university teams. Education has been one of the agency’s strategic pillars since its foundation in 2019, and EuRoC turns that commitment into a practical systems-engineering exercise. The event has run annually, with Santa Margarida Military Camp serving as the launch site since the 2nd edition in 2021. The 2026 challenge is the 7th edition and continues the partnership with the Portuguese Army and Constância municipality. Past editions show growth in team interest and an increasingly established European student-rocketry community, but historical application numbers should not be treated as the current field. The Portuguese Space Agency remains the organiser; the Army supports the launch environment and the municipality supports the host location. Universities enter teams, while sponsors and technical evaluators contribute expertise. Current rules, team lists and official notices control the 2026 competition.

Topics and themes

EuRoC tests whether a student team can turn a rocket design into a documented, safe and recoverable flight campaign. The challenge therefore evaluates engineering process as well as altitude.

• Systems engineering: teams must integrate propulsion, structures, avionics, recovery and ground support into a coherent vehicle and operating plan.
• Technical documentation: reports and reviews assess whether design choices, analysis, tests and risks are explained accurately and professionally.
• Propulsion and safety: motor selection, handling, hazard controls and launch readiness determine whether a vehicle can be cleared for flight.
• Flight and recovery: trajectory performance, telemetry, deployment and safe retrieval show how closely actual behaviour matches the team’s design.
• Professional development: workshops, evaluator feedback and industry contact help students translate competition experience into aerospace skills and careers.

Who should attend?

EuRoC is primarily for selected European university teams that have designed and built a competition rocket under academic supervision. Students in propulsion, structures, avionics, software, operations, safety and project management all contribute to a credible entry. Faculty advisers support preparation without replacing student responsibility. Technical evaluators and range personnel are essential to safe review and launch decisions. Aerospace companies and sponsors can engage with emerging engineering talent through defined partnership formats. Volunteers have a separate application route and should not assume acceptance until confirmed. Public or professional visitors need to check whether access is available for specific locations and days, since the paddock and military launch site have operational restrictions. Teams from outside the eligible region should consult current rules rather than rely on the event’s broad European identity.

Practical information

EuRoC uses two operational locations: the paddock at Pavilhão Desportivo de Constância and the launch site at Santa Margarida Military Camp, about nine kilometres away.

Teams must follow current rules, review instructions, equipment checks and range procedures. Volunteers and visitors should confirm acceptance, identification, access, transport, daily timings and any restrictions before travelling to either operational site.