Students break UK record with rocket launch

A team of students from the University of Sheffield have broken the UK altitude record for amateur high-powered rockets during the Spaceport America Cup.

Team Sunrlde, made up of science and engineering students from across the university, has had its record officially verified by the UK Rocketry Association.

The team built a 19-year-old record of 34,579 feet, launching its own rocket to an altitude of 36,274 feet.

The rocket was named Helen, after Dr Helen Sharman OBE, the first Briton to go into space.

Vishan Nair, Project Leader of the Sunrlde Rocket Team, said: “Setting a new altitude record for the UK has been the aim of our team since we started designing the rocket at the start of the academic year. I’m massively proud that we have fulfilled this amazing feat.”

“This would not have been possible without the amazing team of student engineers, scientists, academic mentors, technicians, and our corporate sponsors who have collectively helped us to break these boundaries despite only just under two years since Sunrlde’s inception.”

Taking place in New Mexico, the Spaceport America Cup is the world’s biggest student rocket engineering competition, and this year welcomed students from more than 120 universities around the world.

Matthew Lennard, Sunrlde team member, said: “During my two years on the project I have had the opportunity to learn an uncountable number of new skills as well as properly applying techniques and knowledge that I have acquired in my degree.”

“Sunrlde has taught me that nothing is impossible as long as you have the mindset, drive, and are willing to put in the hard work.”