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2010 Events List

Rocket and Space Event - 10th & 11th July
Rocket Workshops, Educational Talks, Exhibitors, Children's activities, Traders, plus much more...

Fancy Dress Competition

Everyone is welcome to participate in our Fancy Dress Competition for best dressed Science Fiction character. There will be a children and adult category and judging will take place at 4pm on each day. Prizes will be given.

Fancy Dress Competition Winners

1st Prize - Saturday

1st Prize - Saturday

1st Prize - Sunday

1st Prize - Sunday

UK Garrison Star Wars Re-enactors

The United Kingdom Garrison

The United Kingdom Garrison (UKG) of the 501st Legion, which is the foremost Star Wars costuming group in the UK. It is part of the ever growing 501st Legion, which itself, is the largest costuming group the world has ever seen, whether Star Wars related or not.

They will be portraying the following characters: Darth Vader, Storm Troopers, Special Ops Troopers, Tie Pilots, and Biker Scouts.

Visit the UK Garrison Website

Laffin-gas Xperimental Hybrid Rocket Car

The Laffin-gas Xperimental Rocket Car

Simply the most exciting spectacle on four wheels has to be the Laffin-gas Xperimental Hybrid Rocket Car.

Simply the most exciting spectacle on four wheels has to be the Rocket Car. It’s no accident that the fastest ¼ mile cars ever built have all been Rocket powered. They have a power to weight ratio that puts all other cars in the shade!

With four bio-fuel hybrid rockets capable of producing a reliable total thrust of 8,000lbs and weighing 850lbs (approx 400Kg), the car makes a noise like no other vehicle. Most of us will never get to see the Space Shuttle take off, but we can all go to the track and witness the raw power of big rockets going very fast.

Over three years a small team has built the car and developed its own unique rocket technology to produce the most exciting speed show on the planet. On this website, we share videos and technology and the development story of a back-yard engineering adventure. Turn up the volume and get ready!

Visit the Laffin-gas website

So you think science is boring?

Carolyn Campbell, desginer and pilot of the Laffin-gas Xperimental Hybrid Rocket Car will host an interactive show each day at 1:30 about how different bits of science and engineering can be brought together to have the most fun. See how rockets work, and what goes into them and why. Plus all the challenges of going really fast in a rocket powered car!

The idea is to get youngsters who haven't yet decided on what they want to do for a career to see just how much fun and reward there is in making stuff that really works.What's everybody's favourite firework? A Rocket of course!

Rockets

Build and Launch Rockets...

Build and Launch your own Rocket

This is your chance to build your very own rocket, and then launch it into the air using real rocket motors built to exactly the same scientific principals as the space shuttle boosters. Cost: £10

"Rocket-Workshops” who will be hosting the rocket building event, are an established organisation dedicated to promoting interest in science. They are well known to schools around the Midlands, and have introduced thousands of youngsters to “rocket science”. Their workshops are invariably well received – take a look at the gallery on www.rocket-workshops.co.uk and see the ecstatic faces.

Please note that the flying area will be strictly controlled to UK Rocket Association safety standards. Visit the UKRA Website - www.ukra.org.uk

The emphasis at the Royal Gunpowder Mills, Rocket and Space Day, will be on fun rather than physics, but we promise everyone will learn something. For just £10 you will have the chance to build a rocket from a set of parts, under the watchful eyes of the Rocket-Workshops team, who will check it thoroughly when finished and fit the real rocket motor. Outside at the flying area the rocket will be put on the launch pad, then the traditional 5-4-3-2-1 FIRE. Press the big red button and there will be a burst of orange flame and smoke and the rocket will accelerate to more than 100 mph and shoot into the air before the nose cone pops off, and it tumbles gently to earth under a streamer. If you want to fly your rocket again a repair and reload service will be available for an additional £4.

It is expected that the workshops will run continuously throughout both days, Sessions will last 30 minutes to an hour, starting every half hour. It is suitable for all ages but children will need to be accompanied by an adult.

Build and Launch your own Water Powered Rocket

Build and Launch your own Air Powered Rocket

Build and Launch a Flying Saucer

The Friends Society of Royal Gunpowder Mills

The Space Race

The Space Race is an interactive science show which highlights the inspiration of space through practical experiments, problem solving and audience interaction. The show explores how space plays a part in our daily lives, the latest science discoveries and the technologies that have been derived from space missions. Children have the opportunity to participate in the shows’ experiments and demonstrations, get to grips with those mind boggling questions and carry out their own space based investigations. The show is accompanied by a hands-on interactive workshop which allows students to take the lead role in acting as a scientist to produce their own experiments.

Website: www.spaceconnections.net

The Space Race interactive science show

Speakers & Talks

We are presenting a full lineup of talks each day.

Times and schedules below are provisional.

Please check back here for updates or call before travelling.

Saturday Talk Timetable

11.30 Wayne Cocroft - Britain's Secret Rocket Test Sites * Film Theatre
12.30 Space Connections - The Space Race interactive science show * Film Theatre
13.30 Carolynne Campbell - Laffin-gas Rocket Car interactive show * Queen's Mead
14.30 Dave Shayler - GO at Throttle Up: 30 Years of Flying the Space Shuttle * Film Theatre
15.30 Space Connections - The Space Race - interactive science show * Film Theatre
16.30 Ian Johnston - The Secrets of Rocket Science * Film Theatre
* Locations of talks Times are provisional

Sunday Talk Timetable

11.30 Wayne Cocroft - Britain's Secret Rocket Test Sites * Film Theatre
12.30 Space Connections - The Space Race - interactive science show * Film Theatre
13.30 Carolynne Campbell - Laffin-gas Rocket Car interactive show * Queen's Mead
14.30 Dave Shayler - GO at Throttle Up: 30 Years of Flying the Space Shuttle * Film Theatre
15.30 Space Connections - The Space Race interactive science show * Film Theatre
16.30 Ian Johnston - The Secrets of Rocket Science * Film Theatre
* Locations of talks Times are provisional

Solar System Workshops

The Solar System - 30 minute workshops by Jerry Stone of Space Flight UK will take place in the Saltpetre House throughout the weekend.

Exhibitors

1. Dave Shayler and Astro Info Service Ltd.

Information, research, books, publications, presentations and workshops on the human exploration of space. Dave Shayler is a Fellow of the British Interplanetary Society.

Dave Shayler will be giving a talk called: GO AT THROTTLE UP, 30 Years of Flying the Space Shuttle - A presentation on the Space Shuttle Programme.

Phone: 0121 422 8801
Mobile: 07764 944919
Email
Website: www.astroinfoservice.co.uk