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UKROC 2026 – Meet the Teams – Ice Blast

In the lead up to the UKROC 2026 National Final, we’re spotlighting the teams behind the rockets! Meet Team Ice Blast…

Intro

  • Team name – Ice Blast
  • School/club – Teignmouth Community School
  • Region/location – South Devon
  • Fun fact – Three of our team members competed as part of Team Mooncheese last year, helping secure third place in the UKROC 2025 National Finals. Despite their success, all members of this year’s team are still only in Years 8 and 9 and are continuing to develop their engineering, teamwork, and problem-solving skills through UKROC.

How did you find out about UKROC?

  • Alfie (team captain) – I found out about the competition because two of my friends had entered before and told me good things about it. This is my second year as last year I was in Team Mooncheese.
  • Danylo – I found out about the competition through my friends who were already involved. This is my first year in UKROC.
  • Jacob – I found out about the competition when some of my friends joined Rocket Club in Year 7. I’m now in my second year of UKROC.
  • Lucian – I found out about the competition from friends who took part in Rocket Club and told me about it. This is my first year.
  • Max – I found out about it when some of my friends were taking part in a competition and told me about Rocket Club. This is my second year.

What have you enjoyed most about the UKROC project?

  • Alfie – There are lots of things I have enjoyed about the UKROC project during my two years of competing. I have enjoyed working as part of a team, learning how to design and build rockets, and solving problems when things do not go to plan. My favourite part is launching the rocket and waiting to see how well it performs.
  • Danylo – The part I have enjoyed most about UKROC is designing, building, and launching the rockets. It is rewarding to see a rocket fly after spending time working on it.
  • Jacob – I have enjoyed building our rockets and testing them to see the results. It has been interesting to see what works and what we can improve for the next launch.
  • Lucian – I have really enjoyed preparing and launching the rockets. It is exciting to see all our hard work come together on launch day and watch the rocket fly.
  • Max – I have mostly enjoyed taking part in the competitions and seeing how our rocket performs against other teams.

What have you learnt through UKROC?

  • Danylo – Through UKROC, I have learned basic rocket physics, engineering principles, and how to use advanced CAD software.
  • Jacob – I have learned that even a few grams of extra weight can have a big effect on the altitude a rocket reaches.

Would you encourage other teams to enter the competition?

  • Alfie – I would encourage other people to join because it is fun, a great experience, and teaches you lots of useful skills.
  • Danylo – I would encourage other students to enter because it is interesting, challenging, and gives you opportunities to learn new skills and experiences that could help in the future.
  • Jacob – I would encourage other students to join if they enjoy engineering, teamwork, and practical activities. It can also help improve confidence and social skills.
  • Lucian – I would encourage other students to get involved because it is fun, interesting, and gives you the chance to learn new skills.
  • Max – Yes, I would recommend it because it is fun, interesting, and gives you the chance to try something different.

What does the teacher/club leader think about UKROC?

UKROC has had a hugely positive impact on our students over the past four years. It gives them the opportunity to develop engineering, design, problem-solving, and teamwork skills through a real-world challenge. Students learn to use tools such as OpenRocket and Fusion 360, but just as importantly, they learn resilience, communication, and how to improve their work through testing and analysis.

This is our fourth year competing, and student interest has grown from two teams to three this year. Reaching the national finals each year has been a fantastic achievement, but the greatest reward has been seeing students grow in confidence, work together, and discover what they are capable of achieving through STEM.

Want to share your experience? Email us ukroc@adsgroup.org.uk.