Catapult Challenge
Catapult Challenge 2024
Catapult designs must incorporate a quick release mechanism and will be judged on the catapult’s furthest distance achieved launching a golf ball (best of three attempts).
Have your team? Sign up for the competition now!
Entry form is due Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024 at 6pm
Competition Info/Workshop Day:
Friday, November 8, 2024 at 4:30pm in SILab: 44 Cummington Mall, 1st floor
Slides from the Kickoff/Info Day
Competition Build Days:
Saturday, November 16, 2024 Noon-6pm in SILab: 44 Cummington Mall, 1st floor
Sunday, November 17, 2024 Noon-6pm in SILab: 44 Cummington Mall, 1st floor
Competition/Launch Day:
Saturday, November 23, 2024 at Noon at Nickerson Field, 1010 Commonwealth Ave
Participate or watch – invite your friends!
Prizes:
- 1st Prize – $500
- 2nd Prize – $250
- 3rd Prize – $100
Competition Guidelines:
- Teams must use only supplies offered during build day, and items provided in general lab stock
- Teams will have 1 full day to build the catapult (Saturday or Sunday, 12-6pm). You will be assigned a day.
- Teams must comprise 2 or more Boston University students, and at least one must be a College of Engineering student. If you do not have a team, attend the workshop and you can be paired with a team.
- Competition is open to both undergraduate and graduate students
- Catapults must fit in a 2 x 3 x 3′ window
- Teams will only have access to minimal tools, provided in the lab
- Students will not be able to use their body as a part of their device
- You will need to provide all email addresses for all teammates and you will need to respond quickly to event organizers, so that proper planning can be done to accommodate all those interested.
Competition Materials:
- 2 x 4″ lumber, wood screws, nails, springs, rope, eye hooks
- Size constraint will be reinforced and checked before the competition
- Groups cannot use any materials not found in the SILab
- Weights can be used and may be shared between groups but must be found in the SILab
- Each group will have 3 launching attempts with a brief interval between them
- Supplies are limited and so is build time so be sure to get there early!
Competition Criteria:
- Precision/consistency of launch distances
- Build quality
- Creativity
- Catapult trigger mechanism
2023 Catapult Competition
2023 Competition Winners
1st Place – Team 9: Charlie Van Hook, Soud Alkharji
2nd Place – Team 4: Joseph Hall, Joe O’Brian
3rd Place – Team 3: Angel Pacheco, Felix Munoz Rodriguez, Quentin Mays
2023 Competition Images
Launch Day Pictures:
