We have lift off … Tonbridge team wins UK Youth Rocketry Challenge
A Tonbridge team has won the National Finals of the UK Youth Rocketry Challenge (UKROC).
Second Years Alex Fu (PH2), Thomas Carruthers (JH2) and Isaac Chan (MH2), who named their team ‘Traffic Cone’, will now represent the UK in the International Competition, which takes place at the Farnborough Air show on Friday 22 July.
In the finals, the teams were set the task of launching a cargo of two eggs up to a height of 832 feet, which had to safely return back down by parachute.
The total flight time allowed was between 41 and 44 seconds, with the eggs remaining completely intact for the duration.
Three Tonbridge teams took part in the National Finals, which were staged on Wednesday 29 June in Buckminster.
The other teams were ‘Bumble Bee’, featuring Harry Tinker (WH1), Tristan Burnett (WW1) and Alexander Craughan (MH1), and ‘French Fry’, with Arya Soni (SH1), Seb Stevenson (HS1), George Baker (FH1) and Oliver Carroll (OH1).
All teams had successfully come through regional heats in May.
Nick Waite, Physics Teacher (and who, from September, will be Tonbridge’s Head of Science), said: “The thrill of flying rockets alongside the challenge of friendly competition is enormously appealing to the boys.
“The ‘Traffic Cone’ team worked well together and grabbed the chance to stretch what they have learnt in their science lessons to solve real problems. It was great to watch them build and improve their design after every test flight, and to see all their efforts come together in the final with an almost perfect flight.”
He added: “The bus ride home after winning the National Final was filled with excited talk about how to make improvements to their rocket for the international final. The boys can’t wait to pit their skills against those of other teams from the USA, France and Japan.”
The winners were also awarded £500, which will help to fund future rocketry research at the School.
The competition challenges young people aged between 11 and 18 to design, build and launch model rockets. Students combine practical experience with the chance to learn more about Maths and Science.
