Registration is open for the UK Youth Rocketry Challenge (UKROC) 2023, a competition to design a fully working model rocket.
The event is open to teams of 11-18-year-olds from any secondary school, college, educational facility, or youth group.
Founded in 2006, the annual competition challenges participants to design, build and launch a rocket, with the payload of one egg representing the astronaut.
The aim is for the craft to reach at least 850 feet in altitude within 42-45 seconds and ensure a gentle enough ascent and landing for the ‘astronaut’ to remain intact.
Participants can draw on support from the members of competition organiser ADS, the UK trade organisation representing the aerospace, defence, security and space sectors.
Independent schools have triumphed in both years since the competition relaunched post-Covid, with current champions Tonbridge School succeeding King Edwards School, Bath, as title holders.
You may also like: Bede’s pupil orbiting in prestigious astronautical circles
“With the support of our sectors, UKROC is growing each year as a very important STEM outreach activity,” said ADS chief executive, Kevin Craven.
“For the 2023 competition, I want to see more teams compete, more teams put their skills to the test, and more 11-18-year-olds grow their fascination in aerospace, defence, security and space and become part of the workforce of the future. We need them.”
Regional competitions will be held in early April 2023, with teams vying for a place in the national finals in Leicestershire the following month.
June 2023 will see the national champions head for an all-expenses paid trip to Paris, representing the UK in a fly-off against international teams from the USA, Japan, and France at the Paris Air Show.
For further information about UKROC, or to register, please click here. The deadline for registration is 24 February.
UKROC will be hosting a webinar on 3 November to offer more details about what’s involved in the competition, including advice on how to build a rocket and how schools can get involved. Interested parties should register their place by emailing Laura Normandale via laura.normandale@adsgroup.org.uk.
