Some great news!
Two students from my school, St John's Anglican College, Forest Lake, Brisbane have been selected to be the Australian Team at the APRSAF-18 Water Rocket Competition in Singapore on 3-4 December 2011. There are no other Australian students going. I have the pleasure of accompanying them.
The boys will make two water rockets from soft drink bottles, plastic and tape. The rockets are propelled by a little water and compressed air, using a bike pump. Although we can get about 120m, this is a target competition. They will have two shots at a target 60 metres away, the best average wins.
Both are members of our College Astronomy Club and also members of my Scout Group (I'm the Group Leader). Water rocketry is a popular activity at the school. We hosted the first Queensland Water Rocket Competition in August. The school captain, who was third in the Asia-Pacific Region last year, hit the 60-metre target and a Cub Scout reached 122m in the distance competition. The competition is open to the public; next year the 2012 Queensland Water Rocket Day will be on Sunday 19 August 2012 at the College.
Although the team and event is sponsored by the Australian and Singapore governments, JAXA (the Japanese Aerospace Agency) and some other groups, we are trying to raise a little more money to offset the trip by selling Astronaut Dried Ice Cream from the United States. Each packet sells for $5 (plus postage) and comes in four different flavours. It is quite a novelty, if you haven't tried it. It does not require refrigeration and re-hydrates in your mouth.
If you would like me to send you an order form, please send me an email (
ilightbody@sjac.qld.edu.au) and I will send you one. We require payment and orders by Monday 8 November. Delivery should be at the end of November.
They make great Christmas gifts. Any support would be greatly appreciated.
