Leeds University Rocketry Association's Gryphon II Missing After Launch
Engineering students from Leeds University Rocketry Association (Lura) dedicated nine months to constructing a rocket intended to reach an altitude of 50,000ft (15,240m) above Earth.
The 13ft (4m) long rocket, named Gryphon II (G2), was launched successfully from a military training range at Cape Wrath, located in the far north of Scotland, on Friday.
However, the rocket did not land in the expected sea area, and the Lura team is currently searching for the missing rocket.
Seb Bull, one of the students involved in the search alongside local fishermen, stated, "It was like looking for a needle in a haystack. It's a large area of sea."
The team aimed to break a UK amateur altitude record but requires the rocket to confirm the achievement.
They suspect the rocket may have washed ashore on the north Highland coast or drifted towards Orkney or Shetland.
Lura members Toby Thomson, Manon Kerr, and Seb Bull have appealed to the public to remain vigilant for the rocket.
Launch Permissions and Record Attempt
Lura spent several months preparing the rocket and secured all necessary official permissions for the launch, including approvals from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the Ministry of Defence (MoD), which manages a large weapons training area at Cape Wrath.
The team was attempting to surpass a record altitude of 45,000ft (13,716m).
Verification of the altitude reached by G2 requires recovery of the rocket and its onboard data, which is essential for the UK Rocketry Association to confirm the record.
The team reported that GPS tracking was lost shortly after launch, and the rocket did not descend on a parachute into the sea as planned for recovery by boat.
They believe the rocket splashed down near Durness and may have either washed up along the nearby coastline or drifted toward the Northern Isles.
Bull added, "We expect it's had a successful flight and is sat out there floating on the sea."
Lura's Toby Thomson said, "It's bright orange, it says the University of Leeds on it, so it's pretty distinctive." He urged anyone who finds the rocket to contact the team.
Details of the Launch and Rocket Specifications
The launch occurred from Cape Wrath on Friday, with permissions secured from the CAA and MoD for the north Sutherland coast site.
Lura suspects that G2 completed a successful flight.
The rocket’s smoke trail was observed spiraling as it drifted following launch.
About Leeds University Rocketry Association
Lura is a student-led rocketry team based at the University of Leeds. The association designs, builds, and flies small sub-orbital rockets.
The group’s mission is to inspire future engineers, astronauts, and technicians who may one day contribute to missions to Mars.
G2 is constructed from carbon fibre and recently achieved supersonic speeds, reaching 20,000ft (6,096m) above ground level at the Fairlie Moor Rocket Site in Largs.
