ProtoSpace Mfg, a provider of rapid manufacturing for aerospace, defense, engineering, and research organizations, has announced its return as lead sponsor of the International Rocket Engineering Competition (IREC) 2026, taking place June 15-20 at Midland International Air & Space Port in Midland, Texas.
Organized by the Experimental Sounding Rocket Association (ESRA), IREC is the world’s largest collegiate rocketry competition and one of the aerospace industry’s most important talent pipelines.
This year’s event will bring together more than 2,000 student engineers representing 175 university teams from over 20 countries across 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 will compete across multiple categories, including missions reaching altitudes of up to 45,000 feet.
Beyond serving as lead sponsor, ProtoSpace Mfg has provided direct manufacturing support to both the competition and participating teams.
The company has helped design and manufacture critical competition infrastructure, including launch equipment, payload support hardware, and specialized components used throughout the event, while also supplying custom-manufactured parts, enclosures, assemblies, and other hardware that help student teams move rapidly from design to testing and launch.
Dr Doug Milburn, co-founder and vice president of Protocase and ProtoSpace Mfg, says: “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. Competitions like IREC provide an environment where those skills are developed at an incredibly high level, which is why they are so valuable to both students and industry.”
Many former IREC competitors have gone on to careers at leading aerospace companies, government agencies, research institutions, and advanced manufacturing organizations, making the competition a key proving ground for the next generation of technical talent.
Steve Taylor, president of ESRA, says: “ESRA is proud to once again partner with ProtoSpace Mfg for IREC 2026. 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 2026 competition will feature a full week of technical presentations, poster sessions, safety reviews, launch operations, and industry engagement opportunities, culminating with an awards ceremony on June 20.
Launches will once again take place at Midland International Air & Space Port, one of the few FAA-licensed commercial spaceports in the United States.
Conference Day will bring together students, industry leaders, aerospace organizations, and competition partners from around the world.
Highlights include ProtoPod Live at IREC: Engineering, Velocity & Life After University, a live recording of Protocase and ProtoSpace Mfg’s innovation-focused podcast hosted by Jordan Rose and featuring guests from Mercury Space Systems and Blue Origin.
Rose will also lead two sessions of Project DNA: How to Build Projects That Actually Move, a seminar focused on accelerating execution, reducing project friction, and building momentum in complex engineering environments.
ProtoSpace Mfg’s support of IREC reflects the company’s broader investment in the future of aerospace manufacturing. The company works with universities, research organizations, startups, and 19 of the world’s 20 largest aerospace and defense contractors, helping engineering teams eliminate manufacturing bottlenecks and accelerate development cycles.
As aerospace activity continues to expand across North America, ProtoSpace Mfg is also growing its own footprint, including significant investments in Wilmington, North Carolina, to support increasing demand from the aerospace and defense sectors.
