Magherafelt student '˜lift off' into national Rocketry final

Designed to encourage teamwork, creativity and innovation, The Rocketry Challenge features a record number of entrants this year.

More than 500 students from 98 teams across the UK are taking part in preliminary rounds; winners of the regional finals automatically win a place at the national finals and will be joined by highly ranked runners-up from across the regional competitions.

The Magherafelt school, sponsored by Castledawson-based Moyola Precision Engineering, saw close competition from Bloomfield Collegiate School.

Jonnie Palmer, Head of Technology and Design at Rainey Endowed said: “We are thrilled to be through to the national finals. T

“The Rocketry Challenge is a brilliant way for young people to take their learning outside of the classroom. It is inspiring for students to be able to see the practical application of STEM subjects in the space and aerospace industries.”

Competing at RLC, Crumlin, the Rainey Endowed School students had to design and build a rocket, working with strict measurement conditions and a target altitude of 775 feet, with the aim of ensuring the ‘passenger’ - one raw egg - remained intact throughout the launch and landing.

The winning team of the national final will go forward to represent the UK at the international finals, travelling to Paris in an all-expense paid trip to compete against students from the USA, Japan and France. The finals of the competition will be held at Paris International Airshow in June.