United Kingdom Aerospace Youth Rocketry Challenge

The UK Youth Rocketry Challenge (UKRoC)[1] is a youth rocket building competition, established in 2007. It provides secondary school student teams (of 3 to 5 members aged 11 to 18), a realistic experience in designing a flying aerospace vehicle that meets a specified set of mission and performance requirements. Students have to work together in teams, emulating the practices of real aerospace engineers. Not intended to be easy, and considered well within the capabilities of secondary school students with a good background in science and maths, and some craftsmanship skills.

UKAYRoC Logo

Run by ADS, its key goal is to "Encourage school children to enter the world of aerospace and science".

The winner goes forward to represent the UK competing in the International Rocketry Challenge against the winners of the American, French and Japanese competitions.

The challenge

For each competition[2] UKRoC teams have had to design, construct and successfully launch a rocket to carry one or more raw medium size hen's egg as close to a specified altitude, for a specific flight time, then return the egg and altimeter payload section safely, and undamaged to earth using a specified means of deceleration.

Many teams choose to design their rockets on simulation programs, such as Spacecad and RockSim, which not only enable them to design, but also calculate how well a rocket will perform in different weather conditions.[3]

History

From 2007 to 2009 finals were held at Charterhouse School, Surrey.[4]

The 2008 finalists were: 342 Ealing and Brentford ATC, Beaumont School, Coombeshead College, Costessey High School, Crofton School, Dinnington Comprehensive School, Harrogate Grammar, Holywells High School, Horsforth Secondary School, Keighley Guides, Lancaster School, Loreto College, Royal Liberty School, Salt Grammar School, Shipston High School, Thornton Grammar and Wootton Bassett School.[5]

The 2009 finalists were: 342 Ealing and Brentford ATC, Coombeshead College, Dinnington Comprehensive School, Holywells High School, Horsforth School, John Leggott Sixth Form College, Lostock Hall Community High School, Portchester Community College, Royal Liberty School, Saffron Walden County High School, Shipston High School, Thornton Grammar School and Titus Salt School.[6]

In 2010 UKRA announced that it had withdrawn all official support from the UKAYRoC competition.[7]

The 2010 finalists were: Abbeyfield School, Bradford Grammar School, The Community Science College @ Thornhill, Dinnington Comprehensive School, Girls Aloft (Victoria College), Horsforth Secondary School, John Leggott College, Lostock Hall, Royal Liberty School, Thornton Grammar School, Wootton Bassett School and Worksop College.[8]

The 2011 and 2012 finals were held at the Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground, Leicestershire.

The 2011 finalists were: Penglais School, The Perse School, Royal Liberty School, Bradford Grammar School, Southend High School for Boys, Dinnington Comprehensive, Exmouth Community College, Worksop College, 342 Ealing and Brentford ATC, Horsforth School, Ipswich Academy, The Thomas Hardye School, Abbeyfield School, Lostock Hall High School, The Community Science College @ Thornhill and Boston Spa School.[9]

The 2012 finalists were: Royal Liberty School, Longstone Special School, Samuel Lister Academy, Whitley Bay High School, Abbeyfield School, Airedale Academy, The Perse School, Our Lady's Grammar School, 1429 Squadron Aberporth ATC, Victoria College Belfast, The Thomas Hardye School, Worksop College, Lostock Hall Academy and Royal Wootton Bassett Academy.[10]

The 2013 finals were held on 8 May, at Queen’s Parade, Farnborough.

The finalists were: North Halifax Grammar School, 1114 (Gosforth) ATC Squadron, Worksop College, Abbeyfield School, 10th Chippenham Air Scouts, Perse School, Victoria College Belfast, Ashville College, Airedale Academy, Egglescliffe School, Lostock Hall Academy, The Royal Liberty School, Whitley Bay High School, Longstone School and Boston Spa School.[11]

Places 1st2nd3rd
2007 Buttershaw Enterprise CollegeCrofton SchoolRoyal Liberty School
2008 Horsforth SchoolCrofton School Team 1Salt Grammar School
2009 Liberty Hope SchoolSaffron Walden Team 1Victoria College
2010 Horsforth School Team 2Wootton Bassett School Team 1Community Science College@Thornhill Team 1
2011 Worksop College Team 2Southend High School for BoysDinnington Comprehensive Team 1
2012 The Perse School Team 2The Thomas Hardye SchoolAbbeyfield School Team 3
2013 The Royal Liberty School1114 (Gosforth) ATC SquadronWhitley Bay High School
2019 North Halifax gramma schoolUnknownUnknown

Media coverage

In 2009, BBC Look North ran a news item on the event.[12] and it featured on the children's show Blue Peter,[13]

In 2011, the competition received a mention on ITV News Central[14] and featured in two BBC Online articles.[15][16]

gollark: It says "through disease or starvation", which sounds right.
gollark: Over the long term, no electricity means industrial farming and water supply collapse.
gollark: Me too. Also a slimesling.
gollark: Anyway, the ones I fought just sat there roaring somewhat and exploding.
gollark: To deal with being dropped, consider slime boots.

References
  1. "Welcome to UKRoC - Welcome to the UK Aerospace Youth Rocketry Challenge Web Site". Welcome to the UK Aerospace Youth Rocketry Challenge Web Site. Retrieved 6 October 2017.
  2. "Aspiring engineers wanted for UK's largest rocket competition - Latest News - ADS Group". ADS Group. Retrieved 6 October 2017.
  3. "Rocket Design Software".
  4. "Media Gallery". ukayroc.org.uk.
  5. "UKAYRoC 2008 Finalists". United Kingdom Rocketry Association.
  6. "UKAYRoC finalists announced". United Kingdom Rocketry Association.
  7. "UK Aerospace Youth Rocketry Challenge (UKAYRoC)". United Kingdom Rocketry Association.
  8. "The United Kingdom Aerospace Youth Rocketry Challenge (UKAYRoC)". Association of Aerospace Universities.
  9. "2011 UKAYRoC Finalists Announced". ukayroc.org.uk.
  10. "UK Rocketry Challenge 2012 – Final Positions". ukayroc.org.uk.
  11. "The Final Positions at the UK Rocketry Challenge 2013 Final". ukayroc.org.uk. Archived from the original on 15 October 2013.
  12. "Rocket contest final blasts off". BBC News. 2 April 2009.
  13. "Here's one that we launched earlier..." United Kingdom Rocketry Association.
  14. 2011 UKAYRoC Finals Central News on YouTube
  15. "NI students in UK Aerospace Youth Rocketry Challenge". BBC News Northern Ireland. 8 April 2011.
  16. "School Report: Euston we have problems!". BBC News School Report. 1 June 2011.
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