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Engineering Environment

Junior Solar Sprint

Design and race a solar-powered model car, free, for middle school teams.

Run by Technology Student Association, under an Army Educational Outreach Program grant

Official website Reviews and tips

Key facts

Eligible grades
Grades 5 to 8 under the Technology Student Association national guidelines. Some regional hosts differ: Florida's EnergyWhiz JSS is open to grades 4 to 8.
Junior Solar Sprint is administered by TSA under an Army Educational Outreach Program grant, but regional and state hosts publish their own rules and grade ranges. Check the rules of the specific event you plan to enter.
Source, checked 2026-09-02
Eligible ages
Not confirmed. This organiser may set eligibility by grade rather than age. We do not convert one into the other.
Eligibility is set by grade, not age.
Individual or team
Team · Teams of two to four students, one entry per team.
Where it runs
In person · United States
Entry cost
Free to enter, with low materials costsSet by each host. Not stated on the guidelines checked. Each entry begins with a JSS kit from an approved supplier.
Registration deadline
Set locally, not published as a single national date Set by each host. 2026-27 dates not confirmed.
Competition dates
Regional races in spring.
Difficulty
Open to beginnersNo prior competition experience assumed. If you can do the school-level material, you can enter and score points.
Prizes
Trophies and recognition at regional eventsAwards for the three best vehicles per category at each event; specifics vary by host.

What Junior Solar Sprint is

Junior Solar Sprint asks middle school teams to design, build and race a small solar-powered vehicle. Teams are judged on race performance, engineering design, craftsmanship and a design document. It is free, the materials are inexpensive, and it is one of the few engineering competitions genuinely scoped for a middle school class rather than a specialist club.

How the competition works

Teams design, build and race a model solar-powered car. Under the TSA guide, cars use one solar panel limited to 3.2 W output and one motor limited to 3.0 W, with a student-designed attachment device as the only allowable steering, and run up to two time trials. Cars are judged on speed, craftsmanship and appearance. Some hosts require a hybrid design that can switch to battery power in overcast conditions.

Eligibility notes

Availability depends on whether a regional event runs in your area. Check the Army Educational Outreach Program site.

Is Junior Solar Sprint right for you?

Experience needed
None. This is a genuine first engineering competition for middle school.
Time commitment
A few weeks of building and testing.
What you actually do
You build a small car powered only by a solar panel, then race it head to head down a track outdoors while judges also assess your design and workmanship.

A good fit if

  • You are in middle school and want a first engineering competition
  • Your class has almost no budget
  • You like tinkering with mechanisms

Probably not for you if

  • High school students, who should look at the American Rocketry Challenge or F1 in Schools

Compare this against competitions matched to you

Common mistakes

  • Testing only indoors. Sunlight intensity and angle change everything about how the car performs.
  • Over-gearing for speed. Solar motors have very little torque and a car that will not start under load loses every race.
  • Neglecting the design document, which is scored alongside the racing.

How to register

  1. Check whether a regional event runs near you through the Army Educational Outreach Program site.
  2. Form a team of two or three with an adult coach.
  3. Get the current rules, which specify size, materials and the solar panel allowed.
  4. Build, test outdoors in real sunlight, and compete at the regional event.

Register on the official site

What skills you need

  • Gear ratios and drivetrain design
  • Aerodynamics at small scale
  • Solar panel positioning
  • Craftsmanship
  • Design documentation

Recommended resources

Past problems and materials

Only materials the organiser or an authorised archive publishes openly are listed here.

Frequently asked questions

Does it cost anything?

There is no entry fee, and the materials are inexpensive: a small solar panel, a motor, wheels and chassis material. It is one of the cheapest engineering competitions available.

Is it available everywhere?

No. Junior Solar Sprint runs through regional events organised locally, so availability varies. Check the Army Educational Outreach Program site for events near you.

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