Welcome to the 2026 International Rocket Engineering Competition!

The Experimental Sounding Rocket Association (ESRA) welcomes the general public to the 2026 International Rocket Engineering Competition (IREC) in Midland, Texas. We are very excited for you to join us!

Our competition takes place in three separate locations in and around the greater Midland area beginning Monday, 15 June.

Spectators are welcome to join in the festivities beginning Tuesday, 16 June, during our Conference Day with Opening Ceremonies and Podium and Poster Sessions at the Midland Horseshoe Pavilion and ending with an Awards Ceremony on Saturday evening, 20 June, at the George Bush Convention Center.

Launches are expected to begin bright and early Wednesday morning at 7:00 am. Spectators are also welcome to join us at the Midland Spaceport Rocket Launch Area, located approximately 2.5 hours outside of Midland, just outside Saragosa, Texas. (Map with coordinates provided below.) ALL SPECTATORS attending the launch are required to register and sign a liability waiver. Upon entering the launch site you will be asked to provide proof of registration. In an effort to streamline the process we highly encourage you to register in advance.

Spectator Information Flyer Coming Soon

Spectator FAQS

Is this event open to the public?

ABSOLUTELY! All three events are open to the public. You do need to register beforehand in order to attend. Registration is free.

Where do I register?

Go to the ESRA Spectator Registration page.

Where do I find out more about IREC?

Visit ESRA’s Home Page for more information. More specifically, choose from “The IREC” menu above. You are welcome to browse information related to the current and past IREC events.

Where is the schedule?

Visit ESRA’s Schedule page for more information about the schedule.

Will there be food available at the events?

YES. Food will be available at the Convention Center on Tuesday and at the launch site (Wednesday - Saturday). There will NOT be any food for the Awards Ceremony on Saturday evening.

How close can we get to the rockets?

If you attend the Convention on Tuesday, you can literally walk right up to the rockets. Once they are at the launch site, safety rules require us to keep spectators about 2,500 feet away from the launch pads.

Is this event being LiveStreamed?

ABSOLUTELY! Visit our YouTube channel and subscribe for alerts.

www.youtube.com/@esrarocket

My family member is competing. Can we visit with them?

Student competitors may go to the spectator area and visit with anyone. Spectators are NOT ALLOWED to enter the student rocket prep areas.

Can we bring our own shade, chairs, and food to the events?

For the Convention on Tuesday you may bring chairs and food. For the launch site days (Wednesday - Saturday), you can bring shade, chairs, and food. For the Saturday Awards Ceremony, you should NOT bring shade, chairs, or food.

Is there a shuttle or some form of public transportation to the launch site?

Unfortunately at this time, there are no options for public transportation to the launch site. We are looking into options for both private and public transportation.

Have a question? Email general.info@esrarocket.org