Rocket club wins 2026 FAR-OUT competition
The Wildcat Rocket Engineering Club takes the top spot in the Friends of Amateur Rocketry tournament.
College of Engineering students accept first-place recognition for their liquid-fueled rocket nicknamed the Sonoran Wildcat.
Parker Haynes
The Wildcat Rocket Engineering Club (WREC) won first place in the Friends of Amateur Rocketry – Oxidizers Uninhibited Tournament (FAR-OUT).
College of Engineering students trekked out to Mojave, California, to launch the Sonoran Wildcat – a liquid-fueled rocket that reached an altitude of 4,150 feet on its first flight.
“Liquid rockets are highly complex, so it was very fascinating to see the designs that other teams came up with and nerd out over each other's work,” said Parker Haynes, WREC outreach manager, videographer and 2026 aerospace engineering alum.
Club members showcased the Sonoran Wildcat to industry representatives from SpaceX, Impulse and Vast.
“We now have a team of over a dozen student rocket engineers with real flight experience eager to keep pushing our club's limits."
'Next year, we hope to be back with an even more capable and powerful rocket,' says Parker Haynes, WREC outreach manager, videographer and 2026 aerospace engineering alum (far right).
Parker Haynes
Wildcat Rocket Engineering Club members launch the Sonoran Wildcat rocket at the 2026 FAR-OUT competition in Mojave, California.
Parker Haynes
