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. IREC is the world's largest collegiate rocketry competition and serves as one of the aerospace industry's most important talent pipelines, bringing together more than 2,000 student engineers from 175 university teams across over 20 countries on six continents.
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 across multiple categories, including missions reaching altitudes of up to 45,000 feet. ProtoSpace Mfg has provided direct manufacturing support, helping design and manufacture critical competition infrastructure such as launch equipment, payload support hardware, and specialized components. The company also supplied custom-manufactured parts, enclosures, and assemblies to help student teams move rapidly from design to testing and launch.
Dr. Doug Milburn, Co-Founder and Vice President of Protocase and ProtoSpace Mfg, emphasized the value of such competitions: '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. 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.'
Steve Taylor, President of ESRA, stated, '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 competition serves as a key proving ground for future aerospace professionals, with many former IREC competitors going on to careers at leading aerospace companies, government agencies, and research institutions. The 2026 event will feature technical presentations, poster sessions, safety reviews, launch operations, and industry engagement opportunities, culminating with an awards ceremony on June 20. Conference Day will include ProtoPod Live at IREC, a podcast hosted by Jordan Rose with guests from Mercury Space Systems and Blue Origin, as well as a seminar on accelerating execution in engineering projects.
ProtoSpace Mfg's support reflects its broader investment in the future of aerospace manufacturing. The company works with 19 of the world's 20 largest aerospace and defense contractors, helping eliminate manufacturing bottlenecks and accelerate development cycles. As aerospace activity expands, ProtoSpace Mfg is growing its footprint, including significant investments in Wilmington, North Carolina, to support increasing demand.
