Well done to our students who travelled five and a half hours to reach the British Model Flying Association’s headquarters in Buckminster. Setting up camp amidst a few showers, we were blessed with a breath-taking sunset!
Before registering for the main event, we had time for some early morning bowls and conducted thorough pre-flight checks. Our students then had the opportunity to engage with a team from Sheffield University, who were building a rocket that they hope to get to space next year #sunride_project. They also had insightful conversations about apprenticeships with the experts from Airbus and Lockheed Martin.
Both teams were in group A which meant they would launch first and then do their presentations to the judges later. Team NOAB (NASA on a Budget) kicked off the launches, reaching an impressive altitude of 868ft with a flight time of 56.06 seconds. Although they aimed for 850ft and between 43 and 45 seconds for a perfect score, they still secured a fantastic 62.24, placing them ninth in the finals.
Team Velocity, on the other hand, faced technical challenges during their launch. Despite a technical disqualification due to a parachute failure (although the egg landed safely), their rocket managed to soar to an altitude of 857ft. As some consolation they earned a prize from the team at Sheffield University as they came closest calculating the speed of one of their rockets.
With the top three teams determined, we watched the rest of the competition, gaining valuable insights and realizing that our teams had even surpassed the three finalists from the regional heats. Next year, armed with experience and more preparation time, we’ll be even more ready to take on the challenge!
The final was won by Ridgeway Rocket Club who we are thrilled to be supporting in the international final at the Paris Air Show in June!
