Ray's 6ft Ariel launching at Bentwaters
Park on a Smoky Sam H motor
UH on the Beeb
Jem rides the rocket bike for the first and only
time. Luckily it worked first time.
In the summer of 2009 we were approached by the BBC to help on a rocket-related article for a programme that has since been titled Bang Goes the Theory. This article is in the final episode of this series, which is broadcast on 5th October. We can't say what the activity was, but it formed a spectacular finale to the series. The presenter, Jem Stansfield, and a couple of his engineering team came up to the University and filmed in our facilities. Ray then worked on location with the crew for the outdoor part of the article.
As a spin-off, Ray was also involved with three items for Richard Hammond's Blast lab, which will be broadcast next year. More details nearer the time.
(More details, more news and photos - see News Archive).
Rocketry started here at the University in October 2005. The purpose is to develop a rocketry presence to motivate students, carry out some research and development and to help with student recruitment. From a fresh start, we have progressed quickly from model rockets into high-power rocketry. We have built a number of rockets, and have several being built at the moment. We have recently added a page containing some technical data and techniques.
We have one lecturer certified to UKRA/Tripoli Level 2 standard, who is a qualified Range Rafety Officer (RSO), able to supervise and certify flights up to Level 2. (See the details of the Odin.) He is currently working towards his Level 3 certification - the highest possible - with his Sky Streak. Quite a few students are involved in model rockets so far, and we offer help with Level 1 certification for those who build a suitable rocket, by paying for the motor reload for their first Level 1 attempt. So far, one student has built and successfully flown a Level 1 certifying rocket.
We have close ties with Deepsky Rocket Shop, and are supplying components to them. We plan to be supplying rocket kits in the near future. We have been designing and building our own hybrid motors for a couple of years. We have worked on several TV productions, the most recent being for Scrapheap Challenge, where Ray assisted Paul Lavin of Deepsky in preparing the rocket motor for a rocket-powered railway vehicle. Ray's Ariel has also featured on TV, including the launch shown in the adjacent picture. There are more photos in the Gallery.
We run rocket workshops for schools in our area, with a talk on what it's all about, a few sums on rocket performance and a demonstration launch if the weather is right. It is sometimes possible to arrange for school groups to build and fly their own rockets - please for details.
You can download a poster in PDF format of our latest activities - the current one is March 2009 (850Kb, A3 format).
Students building the Bad Attitude