ProtoSpace Mfg Returns as Lead Sponsor of World's Largest Collegiate Rocketry Competition as Over 2,000 Students Gather for IREC 2026

ProtoSpace Mfg, a global leader in rapid manufacturing for aerospace, defense, engineering, and research organizations, has announced its return as Lead Sponsor of the International Rocket Engineering Competition (IREC) 2026. The event, organized by the Experimental Sounding Rocket Association (ESRA), will take place June 15-20 at Midland International Air & Space Port in Midland, Texas. This year's competition will bring together more than 2,000 student engineers from 175 university teams representing over 20 countries across six continents.

IREC is recognized as the world's largest collegiate rocketry competition and a key talent pipeline for the aerospace industry. Throughout the week, teams will present, test, and launch rockets they have spent the past year designing, building, and validating, while navigating rigorous safety reviews, technical inspections, engineering presentations, and launch operations. Teams compete in multiple categories, including missions reaching altitudes of up to 45,000 feet.

Beyond its sponsorship, ProtoSpace Mfg has provided direct manufacturing support to the competition and participating teams. The company helped design and manufacture critical competition infrastructure, including launch equipment, payload support hardware, and specialized components. It also supplied custom-manufactured parts, enclosures, assemblies, and other hardware that enable student teams to move rapidly from design to testing and launch.

"Most engineering students spend years solving problems on paper. These students are building flight hardware, testing it, troubleshooting failures, and learning how to adapt when things don't go according to plan," said Dr. Doug Milburn, Co-Founder and Vice President of Protocase and ProtoSpace Mfg. "That's the reality of aerospace engineering. The ability to iterate quickly, solve problems under pressure, and learn from setbacks is what separates great teams from average ones. Competitions like IREC provide an environment where those skills are developed at an incredibly high level, which is why they are so valuable to both students and industry."

Many former IREC competitors have gone on to careers at leading aerospace companies, government agencies, research institutions, and advanced manufacturing organizations, making the competition a proving ground for the next generation of technical talent. ESRA President Steve Taylor emphasized the importance of the partnership: "ESRA is proud to once again partner with ProtoSpace Mfg for IREC 2026. Every year we see students take on increasingly ambitious engineering challenges, and their success depends on their ability to rapidly design, build, test, and improve their systems. ProtoSpace Mfg understands that process better than anyone, and their support helps teams transform ideas into flight-ready hardware."

The 2026 competition will feature a full week of technical presentations, poster sessions, safety reviews, launch operations, and industry engagement opportunities, culminating with an awards ceremony on June 20. Launches will take place at Midland International Air & Space Port, one of the few FAA-licensed commercial spaceports in the United States. Conference Day will bring together students, industry leaders, and aerospace organizations, including a live recording of ProtoPod Live at IREC and a seminar on accelerating project execution.

ProtoSpace Mfg's support of IREC reflects its broader investment in the future of aerospace manufacturing. The company works with universities, research organizations, startups, and 19 of the world's 20 largest aerospace and defense contractors, helping engineering teams eliminate manufacturing bottlenecks and accelerate development cycles. As aerospace activity expands across North America, ProtoSpace Mfg is growing its footprint, including significant investments in Wilmington, North Carolina, to support demand from the aerospace and defense sectors.