Jalastra - Water Rocket Competition

About Jalastra:

• Jalastra is an exciting water rocket championship event of IEEE YANTRIKA 2026: INNOVATE & ELEVATE, organized by the IEEE Student Branch, Faculty of Technology, University of Delhi.
• The event challenges participants to design, fabricate and launch water-powered rockets using the principles of fluid dynamics, aerodynamics and pressure propulsion.
• Teams will put their creativity, technical skills and precision to the test as they strive to achieve maximum flight performance.

Team:

• Each team can have a maximum of 4 members.
• Open to individuals or teams of all ages.
• Participants must follow the rules outlined in this rulebook.

Event Stages:

Round 1 – Online Qualifier:

• Teams have to upload a short video with a maximum duration of 2 minutes explaining their plan of action. Depth of knowledge related to the working and design will be evaluated.
• The submission deadline is 28th August 2026.
• The top 10 teams will qualify for the offline launch round.
• Teams may show their model in the video. This is optional and will not affect the scoring.

Round 2 – Open-Air Launch:

• The launch will be conducted on the college ground on 8th September 2026.
• Each team will get 3 launch attempts, with the best attempt being considered.
• Time of ascent will be measured, and soft landing will be observed live and scored accordingly.

Rocket Specifications:

• The rocket must use water and pressurized air as the only means of propulsion. Other propellants or engines are prohibited.
• The maximum allowed total height of the rocket is 76.0 cm.
• The rocket body must be made primarily of plastic, such as PVC or PET bottles. Metal, glass or other non-plastic materials are prohibited.
• The nose cone and fins should be made of lightweight materials such as plastic or foam and securely attached to the rocket body.
• Teams have to bring their own launch pad according to their rocket specifications.
• One launch pad will also be provided by the organizers. Teams using the provided launch pad must keep the rocket mouth diameter between 24–25 cm.
• An air pump and gauge meter will be provided by the organizers.

Launch Procedure:

• Participants must go through an inspection round before the official launch.
• Each team will get 3 launch attempts, and the best of the three will be considered.

Scoring:

• 50% weightage will be given to time of ascent, with the maximum time of ascent receiving the highest score.
• 30% weightage will be given to smooth landing.
• 20% weightage will be given to the angle of ascent. A more vertical ascent will receive a higher score.
• The combination of the above three criteria will determine the overall evaluation.
• In case of a tie, the following criteria will be considered in order: rocket weight, with lighter rockets favored, followed by construction quality and style.

Rules and Regulations:

• The decisions made by the judges and coordinators will be considered final in case of any dispute.
• Any misbehavior or disrespectful conduct towards the event coordinators or volunteers will not be tolerated.
• Rockets must not be made from any ready-made kit. If found, the team will be disqualified.

Terms & Conditions:

• The organizer reserves the right to terminate or cancel any event at any time.
• The institute may modify the rules as required by circumstances.
• No accommodation or travel expenses will be provided by the organizers.