INTO ORBIT

It is almost forty years since Man first landed on the Moon.  Following those early adventures into space, we have made rapid advances in our understanding of both our local environment and the Universe.  Space vehicles are scattered throughout the Solar System and some are even on their way to other stars.

The primary objective of this week-long course is to highlight the major developments in Man’s knowledge of astronomy and space science, from early telescopes to the engineering techniques of today used to build spacecraft and satellites.

In addition to conducting astronomical observations using a range of high-powered telescopes and intercepting live signals from satellites, participants will take part in the design and construction of flying model rockets as a team exercise.  Each team’s entry will be launched at the end of the course and the flights analysed – you will be in competition with the staff who have made a monster rocket that uses clustered engines to reach an altitude of over 1000ft.

A Presentation to Parents provides the opportunity for students to provide feedback on the performance of their rockets and their work with the telescopes.

	5..4..3..2..1..	Blast Off !	Heading for orbit	Parachute recovery

With thanks to my colleague, Dave Hollis, who photographed the launch sequence.....from a distance!