← Resources Day 14 · Launch-and-Score

Launch-and-Score — Format

Day 14 (Tuesday) · the friendly competition after teams build their launch · most goals of 5

After the Launch Sequence, teams put it to the test. A team's launch is one path: corner → midline → ball, with drive times from ms = (distance − start-up) ÷ speed × 1000. Whoever measured well and computed clean numbers scores more. This is the model paying off, and it cannot come out 0–0: the ball is stationary and the path is programmed.

Set the field — the same for everyone

One field, one setup

Every team launches from the identical setup — that's what makes it fair.

goal midline bot ball
Same corner, ball spot, and goal for every team.

How a turn works

  1. Warm-up (a few minutes each): every team gets 2–3 practice launches to zero in — adjust the four numbers, re-download.
  2. Scored round: each team takes 5 launches. A launch is a goal when the ball fully crosses the goal line.
  3. No re-tuning during the scored round — you launch the four numbers you locked in warm-up. The five launches measure whether the launch you built is reliable, not who can keep fiddling.
  4. One neutral ref (you, or a rotating student not on the launching team) calls goal / no-goal at the line. Reset the ball on its spot and the bot in the corner between launches.
  5. Winner: most goals out of 5.
  6. Tie: one sudden-death launch each — closest to the center of the goal wins (ref measures). Repeat if still tied.
Kick not landing? Do a quick kick test first — wide goal, short distance, ball a few cm ahead — before the scored round. If a team's kick won't land at all, they compete on closest approach (ball nearest the goal line) instead of goals, so they still have a fair turn.
Tie it back to the math

After the round, ask the top team: "Which of your four numbers did you change in warm-up, and why did it help?" The answer should name a distance and a drive time — the equation, not luck.

Velocity Arena · NYC FIRST. Runs after the Launch Sequence worksheet using the Launch Test. The public Day 16 version is a demo, not a contest — see the Day 16 Demo Your Launch station card.
NYC FIRST · Velocity Arena · Day 14 · Launch-and-Score format

Launch-and-Score — Scoreboard

Tick each launch that scored · total the goals · most goals of 5 wins

TeamL1L2L3L4L5Goals / 5

Tick a box for each launch that scored. Empty box = missed. Total the ticks in Goals / 5.

Tiebreak

Sudden-death launch, closest to the center of the goal. Winner:

NYC FIRST · Velocity Arena · Day 14 · Launch-and-Score scoreboard