Society News

Run as a workshop at the December COOL AERONAUTICS, IT FLIES WINGLETS, run by Merlin Flight Simulation Group, asked the children to design a new Martian spaceship.

This was no ordinary spaceship – when questioned they had all watched ‘Wallace and Gromit and the Grand Day Out’, so knew exactly what was required!

The children from two London primary schools were issued a Mission Statement, asking them to consider amongst other points: – How would the spaceship take off? What sort of engines would it have. How would the Martian family navigate through space? What would the spaceship be made of – would it be very hot flying through space? Very importantly, how would it land, should it have some sort of landing gear like an aircraft?

Some of the designs were amazing, even with spare sleeping accommodation for the pilot – doubtless they had taken in the information from their presentation in the morning by a BA pilot!

Six of the best designs were declared to have won, and received their certificates from Simon Luxmoore. However, the prize for the best design was a flight in one of Merlin Flight Simulation Group’s Engineering Flight Simulators at Brunel University, West London.

Zain Ameen was the only person to take up the challenge from the two schools. He and his father went to Brunel together for Zain’s flying experience. Let’s hope that the experience fuels Zain’s interest in design and engineering for the future!

The Martian spaceship design challenge will run for one year, hopefully awakening an early interest in aero engineering and design!