SPARKrocket either has to contain sweets, or be largely built
from sweets or sweet containers!
MEETING PEOPLE
The workshop areas are fabulous to work in and
hang out with people helping each other and sharing
skills. The range of tools that people bring to IRW
is fascinating; people tend to have made all kinds of
tooling and jigs to help with rocket builds, and it’s
really interesting to see and discuss. This year, as
well as the usual hand tools, we saw 3D printers,
a small band-saw, disc and belt sanders, and much
more – it’s very well equipped, and everyone shares
what they have. People work on all manner of related
projects, so it’s not uncommon to see someone
sewing a parachute or soldering avionics or spray-
painting an airframe – this year, a team were working
on a scratch-built, steerable GPS parawing to try and
be able to return rockets close to the launch site.
At Lapwing Lodge there’s a friendly on-site vendor,
‘Rockets and Things’, with all manner of kits, spare
parts, and materials to get you flying.
In essence, IRW is a large group of rocket-obsessed
makers who set up an impromptu hackspace with
a focus on building all manner of flying things. It’s a
great event in two perfect locations – we hope to see
you all there next year! Many thanks to the IRW team
for hosting us. Check out their website for details of
next year’s IRW here irw.rocketry.org.ukIt’s not uncommon to see someone sewing
” a parachute or soldering avionics”
The lander competition was won in spectacular form
this year by Sharon Calver, with her fabulous rocket
that splits into two sections during flight and then
deploys the landing gear. It was a complex build –
following a spectacular failure the previous year, it had
been meticulously rebuilt by Sharon. It landed a few
hundred metres from the launch position with the three
lander legs fully deployed in a textbook landing,
earning her a well-deserved win.RETURN TO EARTH
Left
A collection of larger
rockets in one of the
workshop areas; there
are so many rockets
to look at and learn
from at Base Camp
Below
Dr Jonathan Rhodes
working on a section
of his high-power
rocket in one of the
IRW workshop areas