Tonbridge teams heading for UK Youth Rocketry Challenge finals

Three Tonbridge teams are through to the finals of The UK Youth Rocketry Challenge (UKROC).

First and Second Years from the School will compete on Wednesday 29 June for a chance to represent the UK in the International Competition, which takes place at the Farnborough Air show in July.

In the finals, teams will be set the task of launching a cargo of two eggs up to a height of 832 feet, which must then safely return back down by parachute. The total flight time allowed is between 41 and 44 seconds, and the eggs must remain completely intact for the duration.

Four teams from Tonbridge competed in the regional heats, which took place at Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome, near Maldon, Essex, on Thursday 5 May. Contestants had to modify their rockets without any help from teachers (part of the rules), and from three launches they had to achieve at least two successful flights, avoiding penalty points: not a simple feat if the returning rocket nose-dived into the ground!

Chris Powell, the School’s Head of Physics, said: “This is a fantastic competition and one that develops students’ ingenuity in designing their own rockets. Tonbridge won the UK competition in 2018 and it would be wonderful if we could repeat that success when we take part next month.”

The Tonbridge teams taking part in the finals are as follows.

‘Bumble Bee’: Harry Tinker (WH1), Tristan Burnett (WW1), Alexander Craughan (MH1).
‘Traffic Cone’: Alex Fu (PH2), Thomas Carruthers (JH2), Isaac Chan (MH2), Ryan Fortune (PS2).
‘French Fry’: Arya Soni (SH1), Seb Stevenson (HS1), George Baker (FH1), Oliver Carroll (OH1).