Welcome!
The Northern Illinois Rocketry Association (NIRA) has been bringing rocket hobbyists together in northeastern Illinois, mainly suburban Chicago, since 1963. Our members participate in regular monthly meetings and club launches plus a variety of special activities throughout the year. We range in age from toddler through elderly, and include beginners, dedicated hobbyists with over 35 years of hobby rocketry experience, and a variety of folks in between. Whatever your sport rocket interests or skill level, you'll find a welcome home at NIRA.Fly Your Whole Collection
NIRA members build and fly model and high power rockets, competition models, radio controlled rocket gliders, scale models and oddrocs of all sizes, shapes and description. Visit our Photo Galleries to see some of the rockets we fly and photos from some of our launch events and meetings.Pick Up New Ideas
NIRA members regularly share their latest discoveries through presentations at club meetings, discussion at after-meeting dinners, email lists, and local, national, and international convocations. Are you looking for answers on how to best apply that special paint? Need some pointers on fiberglass techniques? Want to know how to trim your helicopter rocket? Check out the action at a NIRA event. Ask some questions. You'll get hooked up in no time.Share Your Ideas
You may have some hobby techniques of your own or other special knowledge that you'd like to share with the club. The floor is always open at NIRA meetings for members to help each other out with tips and tricks. Additionally, many members attend national conventions like NAR's NARCON. NIRA holds our own annual convention in February, called NIRACon.Open To Anyone
You may have flown rockets as a kid. You may be discovering rockets for the first time. You may not even own any rockets, but are just interested in the science. NIRA welcomes anyone interested in sport rocketry to join us.
To join our club, simply print and mail in a membership application.
For more information you can email us at information, or if you prefer you can contact someone on our contact list to get information on a specific topic. We look forward to seeing you and talking rockets!