National Association of Rocketry

The National Association of Rocketry (NAR) is the governing body for the sport/hobby of model rocketry in the United States. It was established in 1957 by Orville Carlisle and G. Harry Stine. It is the oldest and largest model rocketry governing body in the world. Over 80,000 people have been members of the NAR. There are about 4500 current members as of 2008.

The NAR produces the '''Model Rocket Safety Code''' to assure safety while participating in model rocketry.

The organization hosts a variety of educational programs and model rocketry contests. There are three national NAR events each year:

• NARAM (the NAR's Annual Meet, the national contest culminating the rocket contest year, held at a different place each year),
• NARCON (the NAR's national Convention, with speakers and educational programs), and
• NSL (the National Sport Launch, a large fun, or "sport," launch).

Together with the Aerospace Industries Association, the NAR also sponsors the Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC) competition for students in the 7th through 12th grades.

The NAR provides its members with low-cost insurance for the sport of model rocketry, maintains a high power rocketry certification program, and publishes a bi-monthly magazine, called Sport Rocketry. It also tests and certifies rocket motors for safety and reliability.