In an idea shamelessly stolen from Michiana Rocketry in the US (who seem to have shamelessly stolen it from PML way back in the distant past) UKRA has decided to try a new approach in securing a site on which to hold national launch events – appealing to the greed of the average rocketeer!

We are going to offer a reward of £200 (or 5 years free UKRA membership) to whoever brings us the best site. The site must:

UKRA regrets to announce that, effective immediately, it must withdraw all official support from the UKAYRoC competition.

UKRA is both shocked and saddened to hear of the death of Erik Gates who passed away aged just 47 on Sunday following an accident on the construction site where he was working.

We would like to express our condolences to Erik's friends and family and hope that knowing he was liked and regarded by so many around the world is some small comfort to them.

http://www.rocketryplanet.com/content/view/3130/29/

Major news today on the Flight International site with announcements of BNSC (British National Space Centre) funding of the newly dubbed "Launcher One" which will cover the whole of it's development by SSTL (Surrey Satellite Technology Limited ). Launcher One will be air launched from Virgin's White Knight Two. Read more here at Flight Global

Flight International also has an annoucement of ESA funding, to the tune of 1 million Euros, for Reaction Engines and the development of their Sabre engine. An ingeneous air breathing rocket engine. This is excellent news indeed. This money is likely, among other research work, to help fund the development of the ED nozzle mentioned in an earlier news item.

A small band of UKRA members spent the last few days at Alexandra Palace. They were attending the London Model Engineering Exhibition with the UKRA display stand to promote rocketry to the public.

It was a great chance to talk rockets to folks, many of whom didn't realise that rocketry existed as a hobby. There was a lot of interest from visitors to the stand, young and old. Hybrid rocket motors and their workings proved to be a popular topic. There was also a lot of jaw dropping, gasping and general amazement at Richard Brown's part-built "Oi Oi Savaloy" rocket which we just managed to squeeze on to the stand.

The excellent SPACE.CO.UK site has a very interesting interview with UKRA's own chair of S&T, Richard Osborne, discussing his involvement with Reaction Engines development work on their STERN motor. This uses a novel ED (Expansion Deflection) nozzel which compenstaes for atmospheric pressure changes with altitude.