Sussex students encouraged to compete in UK's largest rocket competition

Top students aged 11 to 18 in Sussex are being called upon to reach for the stars and compete in the UK's largest youth rocket competition.
Sussex students sought to compete in UK's largest rocket competitionSussex students sought to compete in UK's largest rocket competition
Sussex students sought to compete in UK's largest rocket competition

Students invited to enter the UK Youth Rocketry Challenge (UKRoC), with the national champions going forward to take on the USA, France and Japan in an international fly-off.

UKRoC enables young people to gain practical insight into how science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects are used by the aerospace and space sectors, a spokesman said.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Paul Everitt, chief executive of ADS Group, organisers of UKRoC, said: “The UK’s space and aerospace industries are renowned for innovation and leading-edge technology, and the UK Youth Rocketry Challenge is a great way for students to explore how science, technology, engineering and maths can be applied in these exciting sectors.

“Global demand in these industries show no sign of slowing, with a collective £33bn in UK exports in 2016 but the space and aerospace sectors’ future success relies upon the next generation of engineers.

“There is a wealth of challenging, high-skill, high-wage careers for young people with good qualifications in science, technology, engineering and maths, who take part in competitions like UKRoC.

“Last year, national champions The Sweyne Park School came close to knocking the reigning international champions Team USA off the top spot at Paris International Air Show.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“It would be fantastic to see a team from the South East bring the international champions title home after competing in the international final at Farnborough International Airshow 2018”.

UKRoC involves the design, build and launch of a model rocket with the aim of ensuring the ‘passengers’ – two raw eggs – remain intact throughout the launch and landing.

The rocket must reach 800 feet with a specific target flight duration of 41-43 seconds.

Rules governing the competition are altered every year to ensure old designs can’t be repeated.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Teams across the UK compete regionally to qualify for the national finals with the winners representing the UK in a fly off against teams from the USA, Japan and France at Farnborough International Airshow in July 2018.

Sponsored by Lockheed Martin UK, UKRoC has support from the aerospace, defence and space industries as well as from MPs and famous faces such as the UK’s celebrated astronaut Major Tim Peake.

Last year’s competition saw a record number of entrants to the competition, with more than 500 students from 98 teams across the UK taking part.

Companies such as Thales, Airbus, BAE Systems, GKN, Rolls-Royce and MBDA are major employers in the South East of England, supported by supply chains throughout the region.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A spokesman said: “UKRoC is a great introduction to the skills used by many of these organisations which provide high-value and well paid careers locally.”

Peter Ruddock, Chief Executive of Lockheed Martin said: “Lockheed Martin is supportive of the UK Government’s ambition to grow the space industry and improve the STEM talent pool to find the next generation of British innovators, engineers and space explorers.

“We are proud to sponsor the UK Youth Rocketry Challenge as it is a great event to inspire young people in a fun and engaging way to consider careers involving science, technology, engineering and maths.”

Register a team for the competition here

Related topics: