Rocket blasts off from Scottish moor as students aim for space
The students faced a ‘nerve-wracking’ experience as they sought to launch from the remote moor.
A group of university students have launched a rocket 16,000ft into the air from a moor in Scotland, as they attempt to one day cross the boundary of space.
On Saturday evening, a rocket named Nebula blasted off from Fairlie Moore in North Ayrshire after a “nerve-wracking” effort to prepare it as a launch deadline approached.
It was a test flight for parts which will one day leave the Earth’s atmosphere and bring the rocket back down to the ground.
Imperial College London’s Karman Space Programme hopes to become the first university team to launch a reusable rocket into space.
The project is named after the Karman line, the internationally recognised boundary to
space, roughly 100km above sea level.
Powered by solid rocket propellant, the 2.2m long Nebula rocket was designed and built
by the university team.
However, they had to fight against time as they tried to assemble their rocket on the
remote moor.
Difficulties in preparing it for flight meant their plans to launch were delayed for
several hours.
With minutes to go until the officially-approved launch window closed, it finally took
off from the moor to cheers of joy from dozens of students.
Nebula tested avionics and telemetry systems which the team aim to use on future rockets
which will go beyond the Earth’s atmosphere.
The student-led team ultimately hope to build a nine metre-long rocket which will be
powered by ethanol and nitrous oxide.