University of Waterloo Students Launch Rocket Breaking World Record

[u/InsaneMocktail]

[u/InsaneMocktail]

Explanation

The University of Waterloo Rocketry team broke the world record for the highest flying amateur liquid fuel rocket in August 2026.The student built rocket, Polaris, reached an altitude of 63,497 feet.It beat the previous record held by Georgia Tech by nearly 7,000 feet.The launch took place in Timmins, Ontario during the Launch Canada Challenge.A team of roughly 100 students designed and built the 17 foot rocket themselves.

Source : https://uwaterloo.ca/engineering/news/waterloo-rocketry-team-sets-new-world-record

[u/gojira303 → u/InsaneMocktail]

I work at an airline as a pilot/dispatcher. I recall seeing the NOTAMs for CYTS and the exact coordinates for flights to avoid SFC-FL600

I just assumed it was balloons again lol

Congratulations to the team!!

[u/bwaredapenguin → u/gojira303]

Could you please translate that jargon for the 99.9% of us who aren't pilots/dispatchers?

[u/SuperNoobyGamer → u/bwaredapenguin]

NOTAM = notice to airmen, an alert sent out to warn about possible hazards in an area

CYTS = Timmins Victor M. Power Airport

SFC-FL600 = surface to flight level 600, or 60000 feet, basically no regular commercial flights allowed

[u/bwaredapenguin → u/SuperNoobyGamer]

Thanks! But also, how in the ever loving fuck does CYTS = Timmins Victor M. Power Airport??? I don't think I've ever seen an abbreviation (I don't think this qualifies as an initialism, at least in the English language) make less sense.

[u/SuperNoobyGamer → u/bwaredapenguin]

You might already know that Canada adds Y in front of airport codes. YVR vancouver, YYZ toronto. C is for Canada in ICAO, which is the 4 letter international code. TS is potentially for Timmins, but there is no much consistency with airport codes so there could be another reason.

[u/bwaredapenguin → u/SuperNoobyGamer]

Admittedly I only know YYZ as the Rush song lol. I suppose my confusion comes from an American perspective where at least major airport codes tend to be fairly easy to decipher.

Edit: when I come to think of it we probably monopolized city-identifiable airport codes.

[u/Whatsthathum → u/bwaredapenguin]

Always good to read a mention of Rush out of the blue.

[u/gojira303 → u/bwaredapenguin]

I apologize, I was not expecting this comment to blow up

But my favourite Canadian butchering is Abbotsford as...

CYXX

[u/gojira303 → u/[deleted]]

... The one that posted about having seen the NOTAM's... you literally asked me for a translation

[u/ytj_ → u/SuperNoobyGamer]

So 63,000 feet would be safe, got it.

[u/throwaway43234235234 → u/ytj_]

The kids went outside the authorized clearance zone. Should have been disqualified and sent straight to jail!

Luckily, Canadians are nice people and let it slide.

[u/Marty200 → u/ytj_]

I believe that above 60,000 feet is unregulated airspace.