Announcing a competition for all LUNAR members: the C3 or Chip Can Challenge
How high can you fly a rocket made from a Pringle's brand (or similar) chip canister?
The competition will be open through the end of 2026 Snow Ranch flying season.
There are two classes:
D: Rockets flying a single D class motor.
H: Rockets flying a single H class motor.
Why?
ARC is high stakes and stressful. This competition has a simple goal, altitude, and what we hope is a fun design constraint, making a rocket out of a can of potato chips.
Rules
The winner in each class will be the highest average altitude of a maximum of three qualifying flights over the course of the flying season.
The flying season opens with the November 8, 2025 launch at Brigantino Park and ends with the March or April launch at Snow Ranch (whichever is latest.)
For H motors, all flights must be at LUNAR launches at Snow Ranch.
For D motors, all flights must be at a LUNAR launch at Snow Ranch or Brigantino Park.
Any LUNAR member can fly D class, but minors must be supervised by an adult.
LUNAR members with NAR L1, Junior L1, or higher certifications can fly H class (we will allow, but not necessarily recommend using a certification flight as a qualifying flight. It'd be funny though.)
LUNAR officers can compete, but cannot witness nor sign off on their own flights.
The rocket's airframe must be built from a single regular Pringles potato crisp can (approximately 75mm or 3" in diameter and 230mm or 9" in length.) The rolled paper rim at the top and/or the metal base may be removed from the can. The rocket can have a boat tail no longer than 3 inches and a nose cone no longer than 6 inches. Therefore a rocket, with nose cone, and optional boat tail can be no longer than 18 inches long. The rocket must adhere to the NAR safety code (and the NAR high power rules for the H motor class.)
Notes:
- the boat tail is optional, you do not have to make a boat tail for your rocket
- using another Pringles can for tube fins is allowed, the airframe must be a single pringles can
The rocket must be propelled by a single motor.
Different rockets in the same motor class may be used for qualifying flights, as long as each adheres to the Chip Can Challenge requirements. All competitors must fly rockets which they have built themselves.
All competitors will attest on their flight cards that they built the rocket themselves and DID NOT USE so-called AI to design it. Using an LLM or generative model will disqualify you.
To attempt a qualifying flight, the competitor should request a Chip Can Challenge Flight card and present it with the rocket for inspection to the Range Safety Officer or person doing pad assignments at the head of the range. The RSO/Pad Assignment person must confirm the rocket meets the Chip Can Challenge requirements above along with all LUNAR and NAR safety requirements.
When the Launch Control Officer has a flight card for a qualifying flight, they should announce it as a Chip Can Challenge flight, and make sure at least one club officer is watching.
Chip Can Challenge flight cards will be available at the registration desk at launches.
For a qualifying flight:
- The rocket must record the peak altitude of its flight on a commercially available altimeter
- The rocket must remain stable throughout boost and coast to apogee and recovery deployment, and be recovered in a flyable condition
- The rocket must be accompanied by a Chip Can Challenge flight card
- A LUNAR officer needs to witness the flight, inspect the altimeter afterwards, write down the altitude on the flight card, and initial it
- The qualifying flight must be under the ceiling for the launch site: 15,000 feet for Snow Ranch, and 1,000 feet for Brigantino Park
LUNAR will maintain a publicly readable leaderboard during the contest.
Because we live in a barbarous nation we will record altitudes in feet, a.k.a. freedom units.
Questions about these rules should be referred to Emma Humphries, the contest coordinator. Her decisions, subject to the review by the rest of the LUNAR officers, are final.
Prizes
Short Stack: for the winners of the D motor class
Bursting with Flavor: for the winners of the H motor class
As of this writing the particulars of each prize have not been determined.