The previous record was set in 2000 by students at another Texas high school, according to the U.S. Army.
BRAZORIA COUNTY, Texas — A 22-year-old world record is no more!
Students at Brazoswood High School in Brazoria County have officially broken the world record for altitude achieved by a high school student-designed and built rocket that was propelled by a hybrid motor.
The team of 21 students at Brazoswood shattered the record with their rocket by achieving an altitude of 45,482 feet, according to the U.S. Army.
Previously, the record was 36,100 feet, achieved by students at Fredericksburg High School back in 2000.
The world record was achieved back in June during a contest between several high schools that took place at the White Sands Missile Range. The U.S. Army confirmed and notified the team on Thursday.
Brazoswood is one of the many schools across the country that works with SystemsGo to encourage students into STEM fields that lead to careers in engineering.
Chris McLeod, who teaches rocket engineering at Brazoswood, said the world record was “probably one of the biggest in their lives.”
“SystemsGo is about setting up a problem and letting the students solve it,” McLeod said. “Even if a team did not see mission success, the program built the same skills. But to also complete the mission is a reason to celebrate. We are looking forward to trying to top it next year.”
Other Texas schools that competed were Alamo Heights High School in San Antonio as well as Union Grove High School out of East Texas.
Union Grove students managed to break their school district’s record with an altitude of 11,430 feet.