Abbeyfield School crowned national champions at 20th UK Youth Rocketry Challenge

• Students from Abbeyfield School, Chippenham, have been crowned this year’s UK Youth Rocketry Challenge (UKROC) winners
• Team ‘Triple T Rockets’ will go on to face the United States, Japan, Ukraine, and France at the International Final during Farnborough International Airshow
• More than 1,600 schoolchildren from across the UK registered for UKROC 2026

Grantham (01 July 2026) – Following the best-attended competition in its 20-year history, students from Abbeyfield School in Chippenham has been crowned the winners of this year’s UK Youth Rocketry Challenge.

Organised by ADS, the trade association for the aerospace, defence, security and space sectors, the competition sees teams of students aged 11-18 design, build and launch a model rocket to an altitude of 750 feet, all while carrying a fragile payload – a raw egg.

Sponsored by industry partners Airbus, Frankenburg Technologies and Saab UK, this year’s competition welcomed more than 1,600 school children from over 126 schools and youth clubs from across the UK.

UKROC saw team registrations rise by 50% compared to 2025, with more than half of teams coming from state schools and academies.

The ‘Triple T Rockets’ will now refine their rocket before heading to Farnborough International Airshow to represent the UK in a fly off against the United States, Japan, Ukraine and France.

Paul Oxley, Director General of ADS Skills, said:

“Huge congratulations to everyone who competed in this year’s UKROC National Finals. Now in its 20th year, it has been a joy to see the competition grow to include more than 1,600 schoolchildren, inspiring the next generation to explore STEM subjects and, perhaps one day, become the engineers and scientists our industry needs. We cannot wait to cheer Abbeyfield School on at Farnborough International Airshow in just a few weeks.”

Kata Escott, Managing Director at Airbus Defence and Space, and ADS VP for Space, commented:

“This year’s competition has been a brilliant showcase of the creativity and innovation of young people across the UK. Airbus is delighted to support initiatives like this that celebrate fresh ideas and help inspire the next generation. Congratulations to Triple T Rockets on a well deserved win, and to all the teams who made it such a fantastic event.”

The results:

• National Champions: Triple T Rockets from Abbeyfield School in Chippenham, Wiltshire
• Second Place: Champagne SupaNova from Westcliff High School for Boys in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex
• Third Place: KEHS ROCstars from King Edward VI High School for Girls in Birmingham, West Midlands
• Best Team Name: Space Eggs from Haverforwest High VC School in Harverfordwest, Wales
• Best Dressed: Rocket UP from Abbeyfield School in Chippenham, Wiltshire
• Best Presentation: Normal Rocket from Bellahouston Academy in Glasgow, Scotland