By Kathy Chouteau
In an otherworldly honor, Contra Costa College (CCC) is joining elite colleges—as one of only two community colleges nationwide—as a selectee for NASA’s “2025 Student Launch Challenge.”
While rubbing elbows in the challenge alongside universities like MIT and Purdue, CCC will design, build and test a high-powered rocket capable of carrying a scientific or engineering payload.
“Participating in a NASA challenge will allow our students to showcase their talent and hard work while learning valuable real-world engineering skills,” said Rene Sporer, Dean of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math at CCC. Dean Sporer said that students have already begun working with a Level 3 rocket mentor and that he has inspired two students to pursue their Level 1 and Level 2 Rocket Mentor certification, themselves.
The NASA Student Launch Challenge is about inspiration too—it aims to inspire next-gen aerospace pros—and CCC said its involvement underscores the increasing importance of community colleges in developing top STEM talent.
CCC said its team will spend the coming months preparing their rocket for its final launch in Huntsville, AL, where they will compete with other institutions in various stages of testing and design.
