Over 100 young engineers blast off at the Northern Ireland Youth Rocketry Regional Final

  • 102 students took part in the largest Northern Ireland Regional Final of the UK Youth Rocketry Challenge (UKROC)
  • Friends School Lisburn from Lisburn has been crowned the Northern Irish regional champions
  • Regional winners will now refine their rockets as they prepare for the National Final in June

Belfast (31 March 2026) – 22 teams from 9 schools and youth groups participated in the Northern Ireland Regional Final of the 2026 UK Youth Rocketry Challenge (UKROC).

The competition sees teams of 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 by RLC Group at Langford Lodge, Friends School Lisburn will now advance to the next stage of the competition where they will compete against fellow regional champions 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.

Joseph Reffitt, ADS Northern Ireland Director, said:

“Huge congratulations to team ‘FSL Upper 6th Boys’ from Friends School Lisburn! The aerospace, defence, security and space industries continue to grow in Northern Ireland, and UKROC is vital to supporting this development. By inspiring the next generation, we help build a pipeline of future talent in a fun and practical way. Fingers crossed we see the Northern Ireland winners go all the way to the International Final at Farnborough International Airshow.”

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 ‘FSL Upper 6th Boys’ from Friends School Lisburn 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 1,600 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.

Register interest for 2027 now.

Rocketry challenge inspires future workforce of 70 Welsh schoolchildren

Image credit to Ben Adams Photography

  • 17 teams competed in the largest Welsh Regional Final of the UK Youth Rocketry Challenge (UKROC)
  • Haverfordwest High VC School in Pembrokeshire has been crowned the Welsh regional Champions
  • Regional winners will now refine their rockets as they prepare for the National Finals in June

Snowdonia (31 March 2026) – 17 teams from 9 schools and youth groups took part in the Welsh Regional Final of the 2026 UK Youth Rocketry Challenge (UKROC) to compete for a spot in the UKROC National Final.

The competition sees teams of 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 by Snowdonia Space Centre, students at Haverfordwest High VC School from Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire will now advance to the next stage of the competition where they will compete against fellow regional champions 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!”

Jeremy Howitt, Snowdonia Aerospace Centre said:

“As the proud hosts of today’s event, we congratulate all the schools for their remarkable effort. It was fantastic to see the excitement and passion for rocketry and STEM throughout the day. Wales is home to major players in advanced manufacturing, and by giving back, we help secure the sector’s future success. Here at Snowdonia Space Centre, we understand the vital role that aerospace, defence and space sectors play in developing skills and inspiring the next generation.”

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 ‘Space Eggs’ from Haverfordwest High VC School 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 1,600 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.

Register interest for 2027 now.

16 teams of Scottish schoolchildren take flight in the UK Youth Rocketry Challenge

  • 77 students took part in the largest Scottish Regional Final of the UK Youth Rocketry Challenge (UKROC)
  • Bellahouston Academy from Glasgow has been crowned the Scottish regional champions
  • Regional winners will now refine their rockets as they prepare for the National Finals in June

Kinross (31 March 2026) – The Scottish Regional Final of the 2026 UK Youth Rocketry Challenge (UKROC) saw 16 teams from 10 schools and youth groups battle it out for a spot in the UKROC National Final.

The competition sees teams of 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 Kinross Radio Model Flying Club, students at Bellahouston Academy from Glasgow will now advance on to the next stage of the competition where they will compete against fellow regional champions 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.

Warrick Malcolm, ADS Scotland Director, said:

“Congratulations to all the teams that competed in the Scottish regional! UKROC continues to support young people interested in careers across ADS’ sectors, helping them build confidence and practical engineering skills. Scotland boasts a thriving aerospace, defence, security and space ecosystem — one that truly values the skills and talent it attracts. Best of luck to all the teams progressing to the National Final.”

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 ‘Normal Rocket’ from Bellahouston Academy 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 1,600 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 will go rocket-to-rocket with teams from the United States, Japan and France to become the International Youth Rocketry Champions.

Register interest for 2027 now.

13 Essential Tips Ahead of Regionals

It’s only one week until the UKROC 2026 Regionals kick off. Launching first in Scotland, we’re excited to bring together more than 400 teams for our most in‑demand competition yet. This year, we’re hosting nine Regional Events — the most we’ve ever delivered — and we can’t wait to welcome teams from across the UK. As teams make their final preparations, now is the perfect time to focus on the small details that can make a big difference on launch day.

13 Steps to Help You Become UKROC Regional Winners

  1. Keep it simple.
    If this is your first year, don’t overcomplicate things. Focus on a straightforward rocket that can reliably hit the required altitude and flight time. Fancy mechanisms can wait.
  2. Avoid hot glue at all costs.
    Rockets get hot. Hot glue melts when rockets get hot. It’s a bad combination — use stronger, heat‑resistant adhesives instead.
  3. Dry‑fit before you commit.
    Test how every component fits before gluing. It’s much easier to adjust something that isn’t already fixed in place.
  4. Check your alignment.
    If your rocket uses more than one motor, make sure they all line up correctly with the direction of flight. Misalignment = unstable flight.
  5. Match your real weight to your simulation.
    After building, weigh your rocket and compare it to the simulated weight in RockSim or OpenRocket. If it’s different, override the weight and re‑run the simulation.
  6. Too low? Review your motor choice.
    If your rocket isn’t reaching altitude, check whether you’re using the right motor. Your simulation should tell you.
  7. Too high? Same rule applies.
    If your rocket is overshooting, you may need a different motor. Again — check your simulation.
  8. Coming down too quickly?
    Your parachute might be too small. Review your descent rate and check your deployment.
  9. Coming down too slowly?
    A parachute that’s too large can drift too far or affect your flight time. Adjust the size if needed.
  10. Understand your altimeter.
    Know how to arm it, read it, and reset it. Always start the day with a new or fully charged battery.
  11. Learn how to fold your parachute properly.
    A well‑packed parachute makes all the difference for a clean deployment.
  12. Keep a logbook.
    Record decisions, changes, test results, and observations. It’s invaluable for improvements — and great engineering practice. While Regionals don’t require this, it’s a key part of preparing for the National and International Finals.
  13. Test fly whenever possible.
    Nothing beats real flight experience. A test launch will tell you more than hours of discussion.

We can’t wait to see all the teams, rockets and launches over the next month. In the meantime, if you have any issues, please contact us at ukroc@adsgroup.org.uk, and keep up to date with all the action on our Instagram and Facebook.

Over 1600 students to kick start their career with the UK Youth Rocketry Challenge

  • Aspiring astronauts, STEM enthusiasts, rocket scientists and engineers will take part in UKROC’s most in-demand competition to date.
  • 422 teams from 234 schools and youth clubs will go head-to-head.
  • The UK champions will represent the UK at the International Youth Rocketry Final at the Farnborough International Airshow in July.

London (5 March 2026) – Team registrations for the UK Youth Rocketry Challenge (UKROC) 2026 are in, and the numbers are at an all-time high, with more than 1600 students from 422 teams at 234 schools and youth groups set to take part. The competition sees teams of students aged 11-18 design, build and launch a model rocket carrying a precious payload – an egg.

Compared to last year’s figures, registrations are up by more than 40% – the second consecutive record year. Sponsored by industry partners Airbus, Frankenburg Technologies, and Saab, this year’s competition will include nine regional events across the UK throughout March and April, followed by the UK National Final in June.

UK Rocketry on a global scale

The competition will culminate at the International Youth Rocketry Final at the Farnborough International Airshow in July, where the winning UK team will compete against teams from the United States, Japan, and France. Building the teams’ confidence and engineering skills, the competition involves presenting to a panel of industry professionals on their journey from start to finish.

Organised by ADS for the twentieth-year running, the trade association for the aerospace, defence, security, and space sectors, the competition has been running annually since 2006.

STEM skills shortages continue to pose a significant challenge for the UK economy, with the aerospace, defence, security and space sectors consistently reporting more than 10,000 vacancies across their industries. UKROC acts as an entry point for participants into industry, allowing participants to meet experts and leaders, making connections for their future career.

Register interest for 2027 now.

UK achieves silver at the International Youth Rocketry Championships

  • Teignmouth Community School have taken the silver medal at the International Youth Rocketry Championships
  • The ‘Star Lings’ earned their place to represent the UK after beating more than 160 teams in the UK Youth Rocketry Challenge (UKROC)
  • The annual competition, which was held at the International Paris Air Show, is strongly supported by the aerospace and defence industry to combat the sector’s widening skills gap

A team of four students from Teignmouth Community School in Devon came second in the International Youth Rocketry Championships, narrowly missing pole position in a nail-biting final. In a spirited display of young engineering talent, the United States took first place, with France securing third place, and Japan following in fourth.

This year’s competition tasked teams of students with designing, building and launching a model rocket carrying a fragile payload: two raw eggs.

Teams were also judged on a technical presentation, where they outlined their design approach and mission strategy to a panel of industry representatives.

This year marked the school’s third attempt at qualifying for the International Championships after narrow misses at both the regional and national qualifiers. Culminating in a strong showing at the 55th International Paris Air Show, the ‘Star Lings’ from the Southwest achieved a score of 32.44 points – just 1.44 points behind the winning team from the United States.

The UK competition, and the UK’s participation in the international final, was organised by ADS, the trade association for the aerospace, defence, security and space sectors and sponsored by industry partners Airbus and Lockheed Martin to support STEM engagement in schools.

STEM skills shortages continue to pose a significant challenge for the UK economy, with the aerospace, defence, security and space sectors consistently reporting more than 10,000 vacancies across their industries. Additionally, a December 2024 survey of ADS members revealed that nearly 60% of respondents experienced negative business impacts due to staff and skills shortages.

Kevin Craven, ADS CEO, said:

“Teignmouth Community School’s achievement is an incredible story of resilience and commitment to rocketry – a phenomenal performance by a team from the Southwest, where our sectors employ almost 70,000 people. UKROC and its international counterpart are powerful examples of how industry is supporting the next generation to pursue careers in STEM.

With more than 26,000 apprenticeships across our industries, we are 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 UK.”

Matt Archer, Director of Launch at the UK Space Agency, said:

“Supporting the next generation of STEM professionals is more important now than ever before. Competitions like this inspire young people to develop real-world skills and showcase their talents. Congratulations to Teignmouth Community School on their fantastic achievement – it is exactly this kind of success that helps us build the talent pipeline needed to continue growing the UK’s innovative space sector.”

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

“Airbus is delighted to support initiatives that not only celebrate innovation but also inspire the next generation of engineers and scientists. Congratulations to the Boy Scouts Troop 74 on their well-earned win, and to all the teams who took part in this fantastic event.”

The international rocketry final is the culmination of four separate competitions held annually around the globe: UKROC; the Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC); the French Rocketry Challenge; and the Japanese Rocketry Challenge.

Entry for the 2026 competition will open shortly.

Record UK Youth Rocketry Challenge sees Teignmouth Community School crowned national champions

  • Students from Teignmouth Community School in Devon claim victory at this year’s UK Youth Rocketry Challenge (UKROC).
  • This year’s competition brought together a record 166 teams from 86 schools across the UK, representing a 54% increase in participation compared to last year.
  • As UK champions, the ‘Star Lings’ team will now represent the UK at the International Youth Rocketry Final which will be held at Paris Air Show in June.

Grantham– Following the best-attended competition in its nearly 20-year history, Teignmouth Community School’s ‘Star Lings’ have been crowned the winners of this year’s UK Youth Rocketry Challenge.

Organised by ADS, the trade association for the aerospace, defence, security and space sectors, this competition sees teams of students aged 11-18 design, build and launch a model rocket carrying a precious payload – an egg.

Sponsored by industry partners Airbus and Lockheed Martin – along with funding support from the UK Space Agency, this year’s competition welcomed 166 teams from 86 schools across the UK. This represents a 54% increase from the 2024 competition. State school attendance was also the highest in the competition’s history, making up 63% of school participation, which increased by 10% from the previous year.

As part of the competition, teams also presented to the judges, showcasing the unique design and construction of their rockets, sharing insights from testing phases, and reflecting on their overall experience in the UK Youth Rocketry Challenge.

The ‘Star Lings’ will now refine their rocket before heading to Paris to represent the UK in a fly off against international teams from the USA, Japan, and France at the 2025 edition of Paris Air Show.

Kevin Craven, CEO of ADS said: 

“A huge congratulations to Teignmouth Community School’s ‘Star Lings’ for their impressive victory and indeed all the schools that took part in this year’s fiercely contested competition. For nearly two decades, UKROC has inspired thousands of young people to explore exciting opportunities in aerospace, defence, and space. It’s about more than building rockets – it’s about building futures. For this year, we are especially proud to see record levels of participation from state schools, helping to make STEM accessible to more students than ever before.”

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

“This year’s competition has been a brilliant display of the creativity and innovation of young minds across the UK. Airbus is delighted to support initiatives that not only celebrate innovation but also inspire the next generation of engineers and scientists. Congratulations to the Star Lings on their well-earned win, and to all the teams who took part in this fantastic event.”

The results:

About the Youth Rocketry Challenge  

The UK Youth Rocketry Challenge (UKROC) is a national competition for young people aged 11 – 18 from any secondary schools, colleges, educational facilities or youth groups to design, build and launch a model rocket with a fragile payload. The competition is designed to encourage creativity, innovative thinking and appeal to young people interested in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) and inspire them to consider fascinating careers in the aerospace, defence and space industries.

UKROC 2025 is the largest and most in-demand event in the competition’s history.

The national champions will win an all-expenses paid trip to Paris to represent the UK in a fly off against international teams from the USA, Japan, and France at the 2025 edition of Paris Airshow.

If you’d like to find out more about UKROC, please visit the website: www.ukroc.com

UK retains International Youth Rocketry Championship Title

  • The UK Youth Rocketry Champions, Ampleforth College Rocket Club, have won the international edition of the competition, marking the UK’s second consecutive victory. 
  • The competition, held at Farnborough International Airshow, took place between France, Japan, the UK and the US  
  • The competition is strongly supported by the aerospace and defence industry as a part of combatting the significant skills shortages they face. 

Farnborough International Airshow (26 July 2024) – A team of students from Ampleforth College in Yorkshire has beaten teams from Japan, the USA and France to add the title of International Youth Rocketry Champions to their status at the UK Champions. 

The UK’s participation in the competition is facilitated by ADS, the trade association for the aerospace, defence, security and space sectors, to support STEM engagement in schools. A team from each country is tasked with designing, building and launching a model rocket to carry a fragile payload: a raw egg. 

The UK competition, and the UK’s participation in the international final, is sponsored by Airbus and Lockheed Martin. This is a prime example of industry giving their support to creating the next generation of STEM professionals. 

Skills shortages in STEM are a serious challenge for the UK economy, with the aerospace, defence, security and space sectors consistently reporting over 10,000 vacancies across their businesses. Furthermore, a July 2024 survey of ADS members found that recruitment is the area that the joint highest proportion of businesses plan to invest in or have already invested in across 2024. 

The event took place as part of Farnborough International Airshow’s Pioneers of Tomorrow, a day of the prestigious airshow dedicated to STEM-focused events designed to inspire and engage the next generation of aerospace leaders.   

Kevin Craven, CEO of ADS said: 

“Congratulations to Ampleforth College Rocket Club on their amazing victory, the second year in a row as international champions for the UK. The UK Youth Rocketry and International Youth Rocketry Challenges are fantastic examples of how our sectors are committed to encouraging young people across the UK into STEM careers. We touch more than 5000 young people globally with the Rocketry Competition and it is desperately important as our sectors continue to face significant skills shortages that hold back our ability to provide high skill, high productivity jobs for the economy. That is a challenge industry cannot solve alone, despite great initiatives like this. We must have partnership and adequate support from Government to unlock our full economic potential.” 

Matt Archer, Launch Director at the UK Space Agency, said: 

“As we countdown to the first vertical rocket launch from UK soil later this year, it is more important than ever for the whole of the space industry to be proactive in our support for the next generation of STEM professionals. A strong pipeline of talent is vital for our plans to grow this sector, and competitions like this play a significant role in giving students the chance to learn and to showcase their skills and ideas. Congratulations to Ampleforth College Rocket Club on becoming international champions.” 

UK Youth Rocketry Challenge final back with a blast

On Thursday 7 October 2021, six teams from across the country went head-to-head in a final to be crowned national champions. All they had to do was to design, build and launch a model rocket carrying a fragile payload (usually a raw egg) which is brought back to the ground safely and without breaking! It’s an opportunity for young people to get engaged in STEM in a fun and exciting way.

  • 1st Place: Team Vesuvius from King Edwards School, Bath
  • 2nd Place: Team NHASA from North Halifax Grammar School
  • 3rd Place: Team Icarus from Epsom College.

The honourable finalists were:

  • Physics Nerds from NHGS
  • Gordonstoun Rocketeers from Gordonstoun School
  • Where are My Engines, Holt? from Tiffin School

Congratulations and thanks to our sponsors Lockheed Martin and Royal Aeronautical Society for supporting the event.