The 2022 challenge was to build a rocket which hit an altitude of 835 feet and came down between 41 and 44 seconds. The rocket needed two body diameters, one to hold the motor, and another which held two eggs. The eggs needed to stay intact upon landing.
In order to make sure we got the timing requirements, we used a flight controller powered by a Teensy. Using data from the altimeter and accelerometer, I was able to calculate the optimal moment to deploy a parachute, taking into account drag and timing.
Due to California laws, there are a very limited number of places where one can launch a rocket. We were planning on using a site run by the Livermore Unit of the NAR (LUNAR), but they closed for fire danger the day before. There wasn't enough time to find a new launch site, so we were unable to launch.
Even though the rocket never left the ground, we still participated in the American Rocketry Challenge through the marketing competition—a video showing the process of building our rocket. View it below.