Aspiring engineers wanted for UK’s largest rocket competition
The UK’s top students are being called upon to reach for the stars and compete in the UK’s largest youth rocket competition. Students aged 11 – 18 are 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.
Launching the 2018 competition during World Space Week, a worldwide celebration of science and technology, UKRoC enables young people to gain practical insight into how science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects are used by the space sector.
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. It would be fantastic to see a UK team 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.
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 strong 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.
The aerospace and space industries collectively employ more than 160,000 people across the UK, at companies such as Lockheed Martin, Airbus, BAE Systems, GKN, MBDA and Rolls Royce and are supported by nationwide supply chains. UKRoC is a great introduction to the skills used by many of these organisations which provide high-value and well paid careers locally.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
Timeline
Today: Register your team here
28 Febraury 2018: Registration closes
April 2018: Regional Events across the UK
May 2018: National Final
19-20 July 2018: International Final at Farnborough International Airshow
The UK Youth Rocketry Challenge (UKRoC) is a free national competition to enthuse more young people about the subjects needed in aerospace, defence, security and space industries - science, technology, engineering and maths. Organised annually by ADS, the UK’s largest youth model rocket competition is now in its 11th year.
The Challenge is aimed at students aged 11 – 18 from secondary schools, colleges and/or higher education to design, build and launch a model rocket with one raw egg. The rocket must reach a set altitude with a specific target flight duration. Rules governing the competition are altered every year to ensure designs can’t be repeated.
Teams 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.
Designed to encourage teamwork, creativity and innovation, UKRoC enables young people to gain practical insight into how science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects are used by the aerospace, defence and space industries.
The competition demonstrates the value of studying STEM subjects which can lead to rewarding and successful careers.
Sponsors
Lockheed Martin UK, headquartered in London, is the UK-based arm of Lockheed Martin Corporation, a global security and aerospace company. Lockheed Martin UK specialises in the development, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The company employs more than 3,000 people in the UK across 21 sites, working on a wide range of major programmes spanning the aerospace, defence and civil sectors.
In 2014, Lockheed Martin’s Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle which is designed to take humans on deep space exploration, was launched by NASA.
ADS Group is the UK trade organisation representing the aerospace, defence, security and space sectors.