The Rocket
Telemetry Challenge

Posting Period 60 Days
Evaluation Period 30-60 days
Award Pool $55,000 (USD)

The Overview

The Technology Innovation Institute (TII) is seeking a complete solution for a telemetry, tracking, and command (TT&C) data link between a sub-orbital sounding rocket and a ground station. All mechanical, electronic, and software components of the system will be included in the proposed solution designed by Solvers.

The Rocket Telemetry Challenge is open to innovators, start-ups, research institutes, and university students from anywhere in the world.

A sounding rocket is an instrument-carrying rocket vehicle designed to take measurements and perform scientific experiments during its sub-orbital flight. It is generally used to launch instruments to an altitude between weather balloons and satellites. Telemetry is the primary means of obtaining data from the rocket vehicle over its trajectory. Acquired data are recorded in the rocket and sent to the ground during the flight.

The total award pool for this Challenge is $55,000(USD), with Awards of $30,000(USD) for 1st Place, $15,000(USD) for 2nd Place, and $10,000(USD) for 3rd Place for meeting the Solution Requirements stated below.

As an exciting optional addition to the monetary award for Solvers that like to travel, three to five Solvers with the top solutions will be invited on a fully-paid trip to the UAE to prepare for and take part in an on-site demonstration of their solutions in 2025. You will be asked to state your interest in attending.

Your IP Rights are protected in this Prize Challenge; The Rocket Telemetry Challenge must award you to obtain non-exclusive rights. This Prize Challenge requires a written proposal to be submitted and Awards will be contingent upon the theoretical evaluation and experimental validation of your proposal by The Rocket Telemetry Challenge against the Solution Requirements. To receive an Award, Solvers are required to grant non-exclusive rights to the Intellectual Property (IP) in their proposed solution. There is no assignment of IP Rights with this challenge. Solvers will retain all rights to any proposal not Awarded.
Submissions to this Challenge must be received by 11:59 PM (US Eastern Time) on December 16th, 2024.
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About the Seeker & Eligibility

TII’s Propulsion and Space Research Center (PSRC) drives global research and educational empowerment in Propulsion and Beyond Earth Exploration. Through partnerships with leading global institutions, our research advances aircraft propulsion, aerodynamics, computational methods and AI, and space exploration, with a focus on developing innovative propulsion technologies and promoting sustainability.

The Propulsion and Space Research Center is part of the Technology Innovation Institute (TII) , a global scientific research center attracting the world’s foremost scientists and researchers. TII leads worldwide advances in artificial intelligence, autonomous robotics, quantum computing, cryptography and quantum communications, directed energy, secure communication, smart devices, advanced materials, and propulsion and space technologies, and biotechnology fields.

TII belongs to the Abu Dhabi Government’s Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC), which oversees the technology research.

The Rocket Telemetry Challenge invites innovators, start-ups, research institutes, and university students from anywhere in the world with the skills, resources and knowledge, who are all eligible to participate in the Challenge, except:

  • employees of the Seeker and its affiliates; its parent company or other subsidiaries of the parent company;
  • employees of agents or suppliers of the Seeker or any of its affiliates, who are professionally connected with the Challenge or its administration;
  • members of the immediate families or households of the aforementioned;
  • any person or entity registered or ordinarily resident in a country that is on a sanctions list at any time during this Challenge (including, but not limited to, the Sanctions Lists maintained by the United States, the United Nations and the European Union).
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The Challenge

Sounding rockets are relatively inexpensive rockets used to perform a variety of scientific missions during their short sub-orbital flights. They are generally used to carry instruments to an altitude between weather balloons and satellites, and research performed includes meteorology, aeronomy, astronomy, and remote sensing of the earth. Typically comprised of just a solid fuel rocket motor and a scientific payload, they are advantageous not only for their low cost but also the short lead time required to develop and build them.

The Technology Innovation Institute’s (TII) Propulsion and Space Research Center is working on the development of a hybrid rocket engine to enable safe and cost-effective access-to-space solutions. The research and development roadmap includes launching sounding rockets powered by hybrid engines which will serve as technology demonstrators of increasing complexity, facilitating the development of hybrid rocket propulsion in UAE.

Telemetry is the primary means of obtaining data from the rocket vehicle over its trajectory. Acquired data are recorded in the rocket and sent to the ground during the flight. Data collected by the subject sounding rocket will include pressure and temperature, as well as altitude, spin rate, acceleration, and velocity. A video camera and GPS equipment will provide additional data. In addition to the data sent from the rocket, commands must be sent to the rocket from a ground station to initiate such phases as flight termination and parachute opening.

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