Applications open for the 7th edition of EuRoC

There is a moment at the European Rocketry Challenge when everything stops: the rocket is on the launch rail, the countdown begins, breathing suspends itself, and weeks or years of work come down to the seconds that follow. All or nothing. But before that moment, there is a journey to make — all the way to Constância, in central Portugal. The seventh edition starts now, but only for those who are ready.

The 2026 edition introduces a more rigorous selection process: a redesigned application form, a more demanding evaluation, and clearer expectations for the project teams that intend to bring and fly. “We want to understand, from the very first moment of the application, where each project stands,” says Marta Gonçalves, head of educational programmes at the Portuguese Space Agency. “The goal is to ensure that whoever arrives in Constância is prepared to make the most of a week that, for many teams, represents the culmination of years of work.”

In six years, EuRoC grew from six competing teams to 56 applications — and Portugal went from absent to the most represented country, reflecting a growing level of ambition and technical maturity across Europe. “The technical information teams submit tells us a great deal about the maturity of the work they have done over the past year,” says Pedro Coimbra, educational projects manager at the Agency and a member of the Technical Evaluation Board (TEB) of EuRoC. “A well-prepared team arrives in Constância with room to fine-tune their rocket and learn. That margin can make the difference between launching and not launching.”

But preparation does not end on paper. “No rocket receives the go for launch, the final authorisation to fly, without meeting all safety conditions,” says Inês d’Ávila, manager of Space Transportation and Safety programmes and safety officer at EuRoC. “That is why rockets must arrive in Constância fully tested. The time teams spend in the paddock — the technical area where vehicles are assembled and evaluated by the TEB — is too valuable to be spent recovering from work that should have been done beforehand.”

“With every edition, EuRoC raises the bar — and teams have shown they can meet it,” says Marta Gonçalves. “We have more teams, and the projects are becoming more complex and ambitious. That is what drives us to go further.”

EuRoC once again has the support of the Municipality of Constância, which provides the Municipal Sports Pavilion to host the paddock, and of the Portuguese Army, which makes the launch area at the Santa Margarida Military Camp available, along with technical and human resources.

Applications are open until 20 May at euroc.pt.