North Halifax Grammar School win UKRoC

Now in its 13th year, the Rocketry Challenge is designed to encourage innovation, collaboration and creativity amongst students aged 11 – 18.

The winning team of the national final, held on 8 May 2019, will go forward to represent the UK at the international finals, competing against students from the USA, Japan and France. The international finals will be held at Paris Air Show in June 2019.

ADS Chief Executive Paul Everitt said: “Congratulations to the team from North Halifax Grammar School for winning the UK national final and I am looking forward to seeing them represent the UK in the international rocketry competition final at June’s Paris Air Show. I’d also like to congratulate the other teams who have taken part this year and the fantastic teachers who have supported them.

“Building a winning rocket is about overcoming complex technical challenges with solutions that work when put to the test. This competition helps students build confidence, develop skills and work together. The enthusiasm and dedication they have shown gives me confidence the future of the UK’s aerospace and space industries is safe in their hands.”

Lavinia Bocaniala, a rocketeer from the winning team from North Halifax Grammar School, said: “Participating in the UK Youth Rocketry Challenge was a really enjoyable experience and it was nice to be involved in something that inspires STEM subjects.”

The competing teams had to design and build a rocket, working with strict measurement conditions and a target altitude of 856 feet, with the aim of ensuring the ‘passenger’ - one raw egg - remained intact throughout the launch and landing. Teams of up to ten gained an insight into the design, engineering and testing process used by those working in the aerospace and space industries. 

Due to poor weather conditions flights could not be held at the national finals so flight results from the regional finals were carried over to account for 50% of their overall mark. 25% of the overall score was allocated based on their engineering notebooks – a record of how they made their rocket and what they did, and the final 25% was based on a presentation of the engineering notebook to a panel of judges.

UKRoC is organised by ADS Group, UK trade organisation for space and aerospace industries, sponsored by Lockheed Martin and supported by Thales Alenia Space and the Royal Aeronautical Society.