UKROC 2026 – Meet the Teams – Team The Three Rocketeers

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

Intro

  • Team name – The Three Rocketeers
  • School/club – The Henrietta Barnett School
  • Region/location – London
  • Fun fact – Our rocket launch at the regional event was our first ever rocket launch!

How did you find out about UKROC?

We were looking for an aerospace-related competition to enter and knew a team that had previously competed in UKROC. We then found more details through the UKROC website.

What have you enjoyed most about the UKROC project?

We really enjoyed being able to apply our mathematical and physical skills while designing a rocket. The opportunity to learn how to use simulation software such as OpenRocket to simulate and predict the rocket’s flight gave an insight into how the industry works on a smaller scale. The most exciting part by far, however, would be when we launched the rocket for the first time at the regionals, as we didn’t get to test before the competition. We were all astounded when the rocket took off and the parachute finally deployed!

Would you encourage other teams to enter the competition?

Yes, as it is an incredibly enriching experience. Not only did we have fun as a team designing and constructing the rocket, we also learnt more about the processes undertaken by the aerospace industry.

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

UKROC 2026 – Meet the Teams – Team Windburst

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

Intro

  • Team name – Team Windburst
  • School/club – St Bernard’s Catholic Grammar School
  • Region/location – Slough
  • Fun fact – The team and rocket’s name is inspired by our favourite video game.

How did you find out about UKROC?

Krishna discovered UKROC while independently researching rocketry online. He then recruited Sid and Max to form Team Windburst for their first real rocketry experience.

The project aligns perfectly with our future career goals:

  • Krishna: Aspires to be a professional rocket scientist.
  • Max: Aims to major in Design and Technology (DT) and enter a specialised engineering field.
  • Sid: Joined to apply his passion for physics to real-world scenarios.

What have you enjoyed most about the UKROC project?

  • Iterative Design: Building, refining, and making small, subtle physical upgrades to the rocket.
  • Problem Solving: Brainstorming development ideas and implementing them under strict time limits.
  • The Payoff: Seeing the direct results of hard engineering work during the actual rocket flight.
  • Team Bonding: Balancing technical learning with social activities to grow closer as a team.

Would you encourage other teams to enter the competition?

Yes, absolutely. It is a brilliant opportunity to learn from mistakes, build vital teamwork skills, and have fun.

Why did your school/club want to get involved in UKROC?

The UKROC competition provides real hands-on opportunity to apply the skills that students have been learning in science, technology, design and development. It’s been surprisingly positive to see students from year groups participate and done really well in the regional events and even qualify for the final event in the first attempt from our school. This has further encouraged our confidence and can further motivate more students forward to participate and engage in real world STEM learning experience.

What does the teacher/club leader think about UKROC?

It was inspiring to see these students from different year groups applying their physics, engineering, and teamwork skills in such a highly competitive environment. ADS Group, the organisers of the event, highlights that this competition is a vital launchpad for students interested in aerospace and engineering careers.

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

UKROC 2026 – Meet the Teams – KEHS ROCstars

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

Intro

  • Team name – KEHS ROCstars
  • School/club – King Edward VI High School for Girls
  • Region/location – West Midlands, Birmingham
  • Fun fact – None of us had any previous rocketry experience before entering UKROC, making every stage of the project a completely new adventure!

How did you find out about UKROC?

Some of our team members run an engineering club at our school, where we encourage younger students to explore the world of engineering. While researching competitions that club members could participate in, we discovered UKROC. Given our team’s strong interest in aerospace and engineering, the competition immediately appealed to us as an exciting opportunity to apply our skills, learn new ones, and challenge ourselves.

What have you enjoyed most about the UKROC project?

As a team with no previous experience in rocketry, we particularly enjoyed the problem-solving aspect of the project and overcoming the many challenges we encountered during the research, design, and construction of our rocket. Working through these challenges strengthened our teamwork skills and brought us closer together, whilst also expanding our knowledge of the aerospace industry. We especially enjoyed testing and refining different innovative ideas, seeing first-hand how engineering concepts can be developed and improved through experimentation.

Would you encourage other teams to enter the competition?

Absolutely. We have thoroughly enjoyed our experience at UKROC and have learned something new at every stage of the journey. The competition offers a fantastic opportunity to develop practical engineering skills, collaborate as part of a team, and gain insight into the aerospace sector. We would highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in engineering, physics, or problem-solving.

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

UKROC 2026 – Meet the Teams – Little Red Rocket

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

Intro

  • Team name – Little Red Rocket (Ethan, Jakob, Deniz)
  • School/club – Birkdale School
  • Region/location – Sheffield 
  • Fun fact – We managed to break our rocket quite badly in a test launch two days before the North Regional. We spent six hours on a Sunday gathering materials and fixing the rocket, and we ended up winning the Regional!

How did you find out about UKROC?

We found out about the competition through friends in our school year who shared the same academic interests, also Ethan’s older brother had taken part two years ago and really enjoyed it.

What have you enjoyed most about the UKROC project?

The thing we enjoyed most about the UKROC project was testing the rocket for the first time. We’d spent so much time designing, simulating and building but had no idea if it would work anywhere near as well as we’d planned. It was so rewarding seeing the rocket we’d spent so much time and effort working on work as well as we’d hoped.

Would you encourage other teams to enter the competition?

Absolutely – not only is it a fun thing to do with friends, but also in the long term through the whole design and build process, the competition gives you a great opportunity to practice your engineering skills and really test yourself against other teams in your area.

Why did your school/club want to get involved in UKROC?

Getting involved in UKROC was an amazing opportunity for us as a team. We loved taking part in STEM competitions in the past so we were eager to try UKROC and it ended up being the competition we enjoyed the most!

Dr Jukes: This is the fourth time we have taken part in UKROC and it has made a huge impact in our school. This year we have been fortunate to receive some invaluable mentorship from Sheffield Hallam University rocketry club. They have visited our school, and helped us with our test launches, and this has really added a lot to the experience for the teams. We hope to continue this partnership long into the future!

What does the teacher/club leader think about UKROC?

Dr Jukes: I think UKROC is the best STEM competition around! The students work mostly independently and they have learned so much about rocket science, the design and manufacturing process, and having to make adjustments, sometimes very quickly, when things don’t go to plan. They have all developed skills in project management, teamwork, communication and budgeting, amongst many other things. They thoroughly enjoy taking part and their excitement and sense of achievement at the competition days is just fantastic to be around.

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

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.

UKROC 2026 – Meet the Teams – Minions

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

Intro

  • Team name – Minions
  • School/club – 230th Sheffield Air Scouts
  • Region/location – North England / Sheffield 
  • Fun fact – We’re in Year 7 and Year 8, and we love Air Scouts because we get to learn new things and take part in a wide range of activities.

Freya, Billie, Lexi, Betsy

How did you find out about UKROC?

Our Air Scouts have entered twice before so we knew about it from other Scouts who have taken part before. Also, some students from the University of Sheffield visited our Scout group and told us about their rocket team so we wanted to get involved with the competition when we knew our Scouts were entering for a third year.

What have you enjoyed most about the UKROC project?

We enjoyed getting to build and decorate our rocket.

Would you encourage other teams to enter the competition?

Yes. Its really cool to build rockets and good fun on the launch day when you get to see your rocket actually launch and shoot up into the sky.

What does the teacher/club leader think about UKROC?

UKROC perfectly complements our Air Scouts aviation, aeronautics and STEM focus. The competition challenges young people to develop vital skills in teamwork, design, presentation, and software like OpenRocket. It combines scientific concepts with hands-on building and creative decoration, every single team member can contribute to a successful outcome. Regardless of where they come in the competition, designing and building a rocket that successfully launches is a huge achievement and an incredibly exciting experience for them.

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

UKROC 2026 – Meet the Teams – Down to Earth

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

Intro

  • Team name – Down to Earth
  • School/club – 230th Sheffield Air Scouts
  • Region/location – North England / Sheffield 
  • Fun fact – We’re all in Year 8 and have been friends since Year 1! Even though we now go to different secondary schools, we still have the opportunity to see each other every Monday at Air Scouts.

Eva, Ellie, Lydia 

How did you find out about UKROC?

Our Scout leader found out about the competition from her children’s school and then contacted the University of Sheffield to see if they could sponsor our Air Scouts and Air Explorers to take part. Our Scout leader asked all the Scouts who wanted to participate and we put our names down.

What have you enjoyed most about the UKROC project?

We have enjoyed working together as a team and building and designing our rockets. We enjoyed doing something that we wouldn’t usually do, using OpenRocket and designing a rocket and learning how they work. We also enjoyed launching our rocket on launch day and going up to the launch pad to actually launch it on the day.

Would you encourage other teams to enter the competition?

Definitely! It is really good fun and is very exciting. It’s a great opportunity because it allows you to experience something new and learn about things you wouldn’t normally learn about in school lessons or normal Scout nights.

What does the teacher/club leader think about UKROC?

UKROC perfectly complements our Air Scouts aviation, aeronautics and STEM focus. The competition challenges young people to develop vital skills in teamwork, design, presentation, and software like OpenRocket. It combines scientific concepts with hands-on building and creative decoration, every single team member can contribute to a successful outcome. Regardless of where they come in the competition, designing and building a rocket that successfully launches is a huge achievement and an incredibly exciting experience for them.

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

UKROC 2026 – Meet the Teams – Normal Rocket

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

Intro

  • Team name – Normal Rocket
  • School/club – Bellahouston Academy
  • Region/location – Scotland
  • Fun fact – We broke a whole carton of eggs during our testing that we borrowed from the Home Economics department. We had to buy them a new box…!

How did you find out about UKROC?

Our teacher, Mr Wang, was a part of the GU Rocketry Society for three years while at Glasgow University. When he started teaching he founded the Rocketry Club at Bellahouston and discovered UKROC. Bellahouston now has the most UKROC teams in Scotland!

What have you enjoyed most about the UKROC project?

  • Building something real and practical, it was cool to design something on the computers and make it in real life.
  • Getting real engineering experience, from running the aerodynamic simulations on OpenRocket, to laser cutting and 3D-printing our parts, the whole process was very engaging and practical.
  • Being competitive in a new type of way – not just for a football team or a video game, but to see who could design and build the best rocket!

Would you encourage other teams to enter the competition?

Definitely, it has been the most rewarding and fun part of the year for us. From the excitement of the rockets flying off the launch rail, to the tense moments where we had to wait to see if our parachutes deployed, the day of the regional competition was super fun, busy, and totally worth the effort.

What does the teacher/club leader think about UKROC?

It is a valuable, engaging, and intensely rewarding event to participate in. The pupils had the time of their lives seeing their project launch into the sky after the months of work to design and manufacture them.

Why did your school/club want to get involved in UKROC?

Our school wanted to get involved to give the kids a sense of accomplishment and pride with something they designed and manufactured themselves. From being part of the Uni society, I knew just how exciting it could be to build and fly your own rockets as part of a team. With so many of the team members wanting to pursue engineering after they leave school, it was important for me to give the pupils a real taste of what it’s like to engage in a practical project with real life stakes.

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

UKROC 2026 – Meet the Teams – FSL U6th Boys

In the lead up to the UKROC 2026 National Final, we’re spotlighting the teams behind the rockets! First up – meet Team FSL U6th Boys…

Intro

  • Team name – FSL U6th Boys
  • School/club – Friends’ School Lisburn
  • Region/location – Northern Ireland
  • Fun fact – One of our favourite parts of the project was getting to carry out test launches at our Physics teacher’s farm, which gave us the chance to experiment and iterate in a real world setting.

How did you find out about UKROC?

We found out about UKROC through other teams at our school who had competed in previous years, as well as through friends who were already involved.

What have you enjoyed most about the UKROC project?

We were drawn to UKROC because it’s a fun but challenging real world application of Maths and Physics. Several of us are interested in continuing rocketry or engineering at university, so the competition felt like an authentic introduction to how these skills are used beyond school.

Why did your school/club want to get involved in UKROC?

Seeing our rockets launch has been the highlight, especially knowing how much work went into the design, simulation, and construction. Using CAD tools and running simulations in OpenRocket and SolidWorks made the project feel very realistic.

What has been the biggest challenge so far, and how did you overcome it?

Balancing schoolwork alongside building the rocket was a real challenge, as was getting components like the parachute and motor systems correct. We overcame this through careful time management, lots of iteration, learning from previous teams, and making good use of test launches.

Would you encourage other teams to enter UKROC?

Yes — UKROC is very different from most school competitions. It’s hands on, genuinely challenging, and a brilliant way to apply physics practically. It does require commitment, but it’s extremely rewarding if you’re willing to put the work in.

What does the teacher / club leader think about UKROC?

He believes UKROC is an excellent opportunity for students to develop practical physics skills and to see how theory connects to real engineering problems.

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

Rocketry challenge launches aerospace ambitions among 250 South East schoolchildren

Image credit to Ben Adams Photography

  • 51 teams competed in the South East Regional Final of the UK Youth Rocketry Challenge (UKROC)
  • The College of Richard Collyer (Day 1 Winners) and Westcliff High School for Boys (Day 2 Winners) have been crowned the South East regional Champions
  • Regional winners will now refine their rockets as they prepare for the National Finals in June

Chelmsford (7 May 2026) – 51 teams from 31 schools and youth groups took part in the South East Regional Final of the 2026 UK Youth Rocketry Challenge (UKROC), competing for a place in the UKROC National Final.

The competition saw 250 students aged 11-18 design, build and launch a model rocket to an altitude of 750 feet, all while carrying a precious payload – a raw egg.

Hosted at Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome in Chelmsford, students from The College of Richard Collyer in Horsham and Westcliff High School for Boys in Westcliff-on-Sea will now advance on to the next stage of the competition, where they will compete against fellow regional winners for the national title.

Running for over 20 years, the competition is organised by ADS, the trade association for the aerospace, defence, security, and space sectors and sponsored by industry partners Airbus, Frankenburg Technologies, and Saab UK.

Paul Oxley, Director General of ADS Skills, said:

“Congratulations to everyone who has competed in the regional finals! At ADS, we’re committed to building a strong pipeline of talent to meet the demands of the future. Continued support for initiatives like this is vital to tackling the UK’s growing skills gap and opening up high quality career opportunities for young people across the country. With our most in demand competition to date, I’m excited to see the level of talent heading into the National Final – best of luck to all!”

Kata Escott, Managing Director at Airbus Defence and Space, and ADS VP for Space, commented:

“We are delighted to continue to support this competition. Airbus is committed to supporting initiatives that not only celebrate innovation but also inspire the next generation of engineers and scientists. I am looking forward to seeing teams from across the UK progress to the National Final and the International Final at Farnborough International Airshow.”

Dan Hallett, UK Managing Director at Frankenburg Technologies, said:

“Specialising in rocket science, Frankenburg is extremely impressed with the hard work and dedication shown throughout the competition. The pipeline from UKROC into industry is essential, and by supporting the challenge we’re proud to help inspire and develop future engineering talent.”

Andy Fraser, Group Managing Director at Saab UK, commented:

“Saab UK is driven to support the next generation of defence and engineering talent, and we’re impressed by the drive and expertise demonstrated by the teams taking part in UKROC. Initiatives like this give young people across the UK the chance to push their abilities, build confidence in their skills and creativity, and take meaningful steps toward future careers in our industry. Their passion and potential are truly inspiring.”

Team ‘Eggceleration’ from The College of Richard Collyer and team ‘Champagne SuperNova’ from Westcliff High School for Boys will now refine their rocket before joining other regional champions for the National Final on 25 June in Buckminster.

The 2026 UKROC competition will see over 400 teams of schoolchildren from throughout the UK compete in nine regional events. The winners of the National final will go on to Farnborough International Airshow 2026 where they go rocket-to-rocket with teams from the United States, Japan and France to become the International Youth Rocketry Champions.

Find out more about UKROC.

The College of Richard Collyer (Day 1 Winners)

Westcliff High School for Boys (Day 2 Winners)