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Rocket Launch Contest Challenges Our Students

A group of 30 Race to the Top students from Years 9 & 10 visited Lockheed Martin on Tuesday 13th July and were challenged to create and launch their own rockets.

A group of 30 Race to the Top students from Years 9 & 10 visited Lockheed Martin on Tuesday 13th July and were challenged to create and launch their own rockets.
The students participated in the rocket challenge during the visit and pulled on their knowledge of physics to build and successfully launch their rockets and they were marked on the furthest distance travelled.
The rockets were constructed from empty drink bottles and the students had a budget to work to which allowed them to purchase various other resources to complete them.
They were also asked to consider the positions of the centre of gravity and the centre of pressure to get the maximum lift, stability and distance when designing and producing their rockets.
Then the rockets were launched outside using water pressure. 
KSA’s winning team was a Year 10 girls team for their rocket which travelled the furthest distance and they were awarded with phone accessories and a book each. Other prizes were also given out on the day including a prize for the best design and all the students received certificates and goodie bags.
The event was organised by Steve Bedford who works for Lockheed as a STEM ambassador and the competition was led by a team of graduate employees who talked about the background physics and about the company.
The students were taken on a tour of the facilities and technology and witnessed the machinery in action that are used to develop a variety of products. 
Students also were given the opportunity to try on a virtual reality headset that simulated a 3D rollercoaster ride and viewed a 24-volt racing car that has been entered into competitions in the past. 
KSA science teacher, Miss Louise Oliver said: “It was a great day and an interesting one for our RTTT students which also involved a careers’ talk about the different pathways into engineering including the graduate and apprenticeship routes.”
She added: “What impressed me the most was the level of planning and detail of the talks and the resources provided to our students on the visit. They also presented our students with a high level of challenge and so much so that even I, as a physics teacher, learnt something new myself about aerodynamics. All the students took on all the information and were fully engaged in all the activities offered throughout the day.”

Visit the latest photographs page for more pictures from the trip