A community STEM education program helping young people build confidence through rocketry
From first launch to certification-level skills, we make aerospace learning practical and exciting.
Chester County Rocketry is a STEM education program dedicated to teaching youth across Chester County, PA the science and art of rocketry — from a student's first model rocket all the way to NAR High Power Rocketry certification.
501(c)(3) nonprofit status application pending
Built from a father-son aerospace journey in Chester County.
Chester County Rocketry was born from a father-son passion for aerospace. Bhargav Shukla, a technologist at Microsoft and Civil Air Patrol volunteer, discovered rocketry while mentoring CAP cadets in a local squadron. What started as weekend launches with his son Yug grew into a shared obsession with building bigger, faster, and higher-flying rockets. Yug — now an undergraduate at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and leader of a university rocketry design team — pushed them both to earn NAR Level 2 high-power certifications.
Seeing how rocketry transformed their own family, Bhargav and Yug founded Chester County Rocketry to bring that same spark to every young person in the community. Through partnership with the Downingtown Area Recreation Consortium, they now offer structured camps that take students from zero experience to building and launching their own rockets — and for those ready, all the way to NAR Level 1 certification.
Experienced instructors with verified rocketry, aerospace, and mentoring credentials.
Lead Instructor & Co-Founder
Yug Shukla is a NAR Level 2 certified high-power rocketeer and a licensed private pilot. He is currently an undergraduate at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University — the world's largest university specializing in aviation and aerospace — where he leads a rocketry design team. Yug has mentored numerous university rocketry teams and has a gift for breaking down complex aerospace concepts into hands-on, engaging lessons. He brings real-world engineering experience from university-level rocketry competitions directly into the camp classroom.
Instructor & Co-Founder
Bhargav Shukla is a NAR Level 2 certified rocketeer, a licensed private pilot, and a senior technologist with over 13 years at Microsoft. His rocketry passion ignited while mentoring Civil Air Patrol cadets in a local Chester County squadron. What began as teaching basics to young cadets became a deep personal commitment — with Yug's influence pushing him to pursue and earn his own Level 2 high-power certification. Bhargav volunteers extensively with the Civil Air Patrol as a VFR pilot, IT Officer, and Aerospace Education Officer at the Group and Pennsylvania Wing levels. Both Bhargav and Yug have been recognized with prestigious CAP awards for their contributions to aerospace education.
Camp registration and scheduling are coordinated through the Downingtown Area Recreation Consortium (DARC).
114 Bell Tavern Road, Downingtown, PA 19335
Our curriculum and instructor backgrounds draw on standards and experience from respected aerospace and education organizations.
Principles that guide every class, launch, and mentoring interaction.
Every program follows the NAR Safety Code.
No prior experience needed to start; all materials included.
Building the next generation of STEM leaders in Chester County.