ROCKET INFORMATION

MISSION CONTROL





Take Formula-1, multiply the speed by 10 (just to start), add in metal melting 3000 degree exhaust plumes of pure flame, acceleration of 0 to Mach 2.4 in 2.5 seconds, and aerospace technologies, and you're talking the most extreme of extreme forms of transport.... Rocket Power!

Whether it is carbon fibre & aluminium rockets launching toward space, rocket powered aircraft, rocket powered wheeled vehicles, or even rocket powered snowboards, I've been actively involved in rocketry since the end of the 1970's. I blame my parents for giving me a chemistry set at too early an age !

I am involved in the space industry in a number of commercial space projects, primarily providing rocket engineering consultancy, but the details on this part of the website are to provide an information source for amateur rocketry, my "spare time" activity!

From time to time, my rocketry related activities have also led the media and companies to contact me, for TV and radio appearances as well as newspaper articles, motivational speeches, and for comments on potential stories or for technical advice. As an evangelist for the cause of rocketry and space, I am more than happy to be involved in such ventures.

As with many amateur rocketeers, I spent the 1980's building rocket propulsion systems and rockets in isolation, and then helped found rocketry group AspireSpace in 1993. At a similar time, I also started getting involved in student space organisation, UK-SEDS, later ending up on the UK-SEDS National Committee.

After designing AspireSpace's H2 hybrid rocket motor, and co-designing their H20 & H100 hybrid rocket motors, I then joined UK amateur rocketry group, MARS, designing their hybrid rocket motors too. I was also involved with the FARISpace Project - a project by former MARS member Richard Brown to put a 2-stage hybrid rocket into space.

I was also fortunate enough to be able to be part of the launch crew for 2 of the largest recent commercial rocketry projects built in the UK, the Top Gear Space Shuttle built by the Rocketmen Ltd, and the Beautiful Blue Project. Nowadays, I mainly work on hybrid rockets with the team at MARS, or work on my own Nitrous Oxide hybrid rockets or Kerosene & Hydrogen Peroxide liquid rockets.

I am also involved in the United Kingdom Rocketry Association (UKRA). I attended their formation meeting at the Scottish Rocket Weekend in August 1996, and am in my ninth term of serving on the UKRA National Council, currently as Chair of the UKRA Safety and Technical Committee.