SURREY, England UK — As the organizers were sorting through the qualification forms of nearly 750 US teams to field the 5th annual Team America Rocketry Challenge, something unique was happening across the Atlantic Ocean — eight UK teams were competing in a similar competition in England.

This year, for the first time, there was a Team America Rocketry Challenge-like event in England, operating under the name "UK Aerospace Youth Rocketry Challenge" and using rules that were identical to the US event: lofting an egg 850 feet above ground level and kept aloft for 45 seconds.

 Winners Buttershaw College with £1,000 check.

Event coordinator, Phil Charlesworth, watched while the participants caught the excitement that competing among peers produces. "The eight teams were really fired-up with enthusiasm," Charlesworth said. "It was very satisfying to see young people enjoying science."

Sponsored by Tri Polus, the UK Rocketry Association (UKRA), Space Connections and the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS), the UK event is based on the Team America Rocketry Challenge, the largest model rocketry competition in the United States, organized by the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) and the National Association of Rocketry (NAR).

Flying at Charterhouse School in Surrey, England this past Friday, April 13th, Buttershaw College from Yorkshire emerged as the winner of the event and will get an all-expense paid trip to appear at the Team America Rocketry Challenge finals at Great Meadow in The Plains, Virginia on May 19th. Buttershaw and five of the other teams enjoyed the results of successful flights, with only two of the eight teams experiencing broken eggs.

The UK competition provides secondary school students the experience of designing a flying aerospace vehicle that meets a specified set of mission and performance requirements. Students work in teams the same way aerospace engineers do. The competition is not intended to be easy, but within the capabilities of secondary school students with backgrounds in science and math and possessing craftsmanship skills.

The UK Aerospace Youth Rocketry Challenge event enjoyed coverage from regional and national UK radio, and on national UK television. The BBC runs an early evening news show for schools called "News Round", which gave the event a two minute slot. The BBC camera crew and journalist followed a team around throughout the event, giving the participants invaluable national coverage.

Website: http://www.ukayroc.org.uk/