A seaside town in Teignbridge has launched into the international space race.

Four teenagers from Teignmouth are heading to the biggest aerospace event in the world.

They are hoping the rocket they have designed and built can beat off competition from the USA, Japan and France and win the International Youth Rocketry Challenge at the Paris International Air Show tomorrow (June 19).

Kaya Surman (15), Tom Porter (15), Keith Edwards (14) and Sammy Porter (13) from Teignmouth Community School (TCS) Rocket Club beat off competition from 165 other teams to win the UK Rocketry Championships (UKRoC) last month, winning entry and an all-expenses paid trip to the international competition in Paris.

They are now hoping their engineering, problem-solving and teamwork skills can net them the world title.

Competing as Team ‘Star Lings’, the students’ rocket must safely carry two raw eggs to a precise altitude (765 feet) in a specified flight time and then return the fragile cargo back to earth unbroken.

The students will also present their design and flight data to an international panel of aerospace professionals and will get the chance to speak with astronauts and US Air Force pilots.

This is ‘an amazing opportunity to develop both technical and communication skills’, commented TCS technology teacher Mark Hawker who leads the school’s Rocketry Club. It will be ‘a truly unforgettable STEM experience’, he added.

TCS has only entered the UKRoC three times and has reached the national final every year. This year, two teams from the school qualified. The main team took first place, earning them the honour of representing the UK internationally and the junior team placed third, suggesting there is real depth and future potential in the rocket club.

TCS Rocket Club is currently the only team from Devon to compete in UKRoC. Until this year, it was the only team from Devon and Cornwall ever to reach the national final, let alone progress to the international stage. The competition, organised by ADS, the trade association for the aerospace, defence, security and space sectors, and sponsored by Airbus and Lockheed Martin aims to encourage creativity and innovative thinking and inspire young people to consider careers in the aerospace, defence and space industries.

The school’s rocket club was set up just three years ago, thanks to the encouragement of a gentleman named John Wheddon from UKRoC, who visited the school and introduced us to the competition. John stayed on as the team’s mentor for just over a year and played a key role in getting the club off the ground.

‘Sadly, John became ill and passed away in January this year. He is greatly missed, and this year’s rocket is dedicated to his memory,’ Mark explained.

‘We’ve also been incredibly fortunate to have such great support from our school, who have encouraged the team throughout. We’re especially thankful for the amazing support from our families, who join us at test flights and travel with us to competitions across the country—it’s made a huge difference to the students and the club as a whole,’ Mark continued.

‘This is the first time our school has reached the international final, and we couldn’t be prouder of everything our students have achieved,’ he proudly remarked.