REDWICK, Gwent, UK — It runs on space shuttle fuel, and will reach nearly twice the speed of sound on its journey to an altitude of around two miles.

But despite the Nasa insignia near its nose cone, work on this particular rocket doesn’t take place at Cape Canaveral, but on a piece of land just outside the M4’s Magor services.

Amateur rocket enthusiasts, Tom Roberts and Mike Brent, are using the site to hone their final preparations for an assault on the British altitude record.

The pair are members of Fins Over Gwent – a group of model rocket enthusiasts who meet every few weeks near Redwick on the Gwent Levels, to push the boundaries of rocket science.

Their usual launch site near Junction 23A of the M4 is limited to rocket flights up to 3,000ft because of air space safety restrictions.

But the pair will be free to propel their rocket further into the sky as they attempt a British altitude record on a J motor, at the International Rocket Week in Largs in Scotland this week.

The current record of 12,234ft was set in 2006.

They believe their Welsh rocket will go around 200ft further and reach 12,475ft.

"It’s a very close call and we’ve built the rocket to be as light and aerodynamic as possible in order to go as high as it can," said Mr Roberts.

"This is serious stuff because it could reach nearly twice the speed of sound in less than 10 seconds.

"We use the same rocket fuel as the space shuttle and once our rocket is lit, it just goes up, we can’t control it, it just disappears up to a height of two miles."

Mr Roberts said the two biggest challenges presented by the launch come from the weather and the risk that they might lose track of their rocket altogether.

"The launch is cloud dependent – it helps to see it," he added.

"We need clear skies and a strong recovery team working on the ground is crucial to finding the rocket, which is like finding a needle in a haystack.

"The rocket’s tracker transmitter for retrieval purposes, is the only thing that can let us know if we have broken the record or not, because it contains all the flight information.

"If the chute comes open at 12,475 ft it will drift for miles.

"So we aim to separate the rocket at the highest point and let it tumble, making it easier to recover.

"Inside the rocket is an altimeter, programmed to deploy the main chute at a much more sensible height.

"We are the only Welsh competitors in the competition and if it goes to plan, we will be the new British record holders."

Fins Over Gwent is affiliated to the UK Rocketry Association and has regular contact with other UKRA clubs throughout the UK.

Mr Roberts, a teacher at St Paul’s Primary School, Grangetown, is also taking part in the UK Aerospace Youth Rocketry Challenge.

He is working to design, construct and successfully launch a rocket to carry one raw, medium-size hen’s egg to an altitude of 750 feet with a flight time of 45 seconds.

"The pupils think that I spend all my spare time building rockets," he added.

"I’ve been to Kennedy Space Centre in Orlando, Florida, and I’ve studied Apollo 12. I’m nuts about space.

"For this challenge, the egg must be placed in the rocket ‘on its back’ mimicking the position of an astronaut," he added.

"In addition to the prize of a trip to the USA to attend the USA finals, a prize will be given for the most innovative method of proving the orientation of the egg."

Copyright © 2008, Western Mail.