Tonbridge wins UK Youth Rocketry competition

Tonbridge team ‘Rocketon’ has won the UK Youth Rocketry competition and will now compete in an international final.

The team, consisting of Freddie Lacey (PH1) and Cameron Dymond (OH1), were crowned winners after competing in the national finals, held in Buckminster, Grantham. A second Tonbridge team, ‘PR Ltd’, which included Takuya Boehringer (FH2), Toby Harrison (WW2), Ben Gardner (CH2) and Thomas Masding (OH2), also took part in the finals.

The winning boys proved they were the best at launching a rocket carrying two eggs into the air. The rocket and its cargo reached a height of 800feet, and was then safely recovered after a parachute landing.

The competition received more than 120 entries from across the country, with only 20 teams being chosen to progress to the national finals. Team Rocketon will now compete against teams from France, USA and Japan at an international event, which takes place at Farnborough Airshow in July.

The winners were also awarded £500, which will help to fund future rocketry research at Tonbridge.

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.

Chris Powell, Physics Teacher at Tonbridge, said: “Winning the competition was an outstanding achievement. The boys had to work together and test their problem-solving skills, scientific knowledge and creativity. It will now be exciting to see them compete against international teams.”