Launch

A human catapult CLUB

Soft launch festival

Pull up to our soft-launch festival at the Purdue I-M fields to experience our catapults firsthand, and learn about our mission!

The Soft Launch Festival is an introductory, scaled-down event focusing on demonstrations, setting the stage for our much bigger, full-scale human launches over water.

“Best Catapult Ever”

Laurie P.

“a great way to end the week”

Jamie K.

“Most fun club I’ve ever seen”

Lindsey B.

Soft Launch

Soft Launch Details

Location: IM Fields

Ideal Dates: Mid-September (Exact Date TBD)

Time: Saturday, 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM (4 Hours)

Rain Date: Following Saturday

Zone 1: The Main Catapult Experience

  • 3-4 human catapult stations (rentals or DIY builds).

  • Launch distances: 10ft, 20ft, 30ft for all comfort levels.

  • Equipped with safety mats, harnesses, and trained spotters.

Zone 2: Soft Launch Zones

  • Marshmallow Catapult Range: Mini catapults launching giant marshmallows at targets.

  • T-Shirt Cannon Station: Launch branded Launch club shirts into the crowd.

  • Plush Doll Derby: Catapult stuffed animals for a distance competition.

  • Stress Ball Skeet Shooting: Launch stress balls, participants try to catch them.

Zone 4: Social Hub

  • Photo booth with catapult props and Launch Club branding.

  • Live Music/DJ Setup.

  • Food Trucks or Catered Food (2-3 options available).

  • Merchandise table for T-shirts, stickers, and membership sign-ups.

Zone 3: Physics Interactive Area

  • Educational posters on projectile motion and simple machines.

  • "Calculate Your Launch" station with physics equations.

  • Catapult simulator (borrowed from Engineering Lab).

  • Physics demonstrations and explanations.

Zone 5: Competition Arena (The Launch Olympics)

  • Timed competitions running throughout the day:

    • Accuracy Challenge

    • Distance Challenge

    • Team Relay Races

  • Prize Giveaways every 30 minutes (gift cards, tech accessories, Launch swag).

Activities Timeline

12:00 PM - 12:30 PM: Setup, Early Bird Arrivals, Soft Opening

12:30 PM: Official Launch (pun intended!) with Safety Demonstration

1:00 PM - 3:30 PM: Open Stations & Rotating Competitions (every 30 min)

3:30 PM - 4:00 PM: Grand Finale: Biggest Launch Competition & Raffle Drawing

Satellite Events (Week Leading Up)

Monday: Micro-Launch Monday

  • Location: Engineering Fountain Plaza

  • Activity: Small-scale marshmallow catapults.

  • Goal: Hand out fliers with event details and QR codes.

Wednesday: Hump Day Hype

  • Location: Memorial Mall

  • Activity: T-shirt cannon giveaways during the the day.

  • Goal: Live demos and sign-up sheets.

Friday: Launch into the Weekend

  • Location: France A. Córdova Recreational Sports Center

  • Activity: Stress ball launching station.

  • Goal: Capture emails for Saturday event reminders.