Well, what an exciting day we've had. Me and my two residential volunteers, Pam and Roger, bundled into the car to head up to the Mull for 8.30 a.m. this morning to catch the 'Black Streak' rocket being launched by a team from Bolton Science and Technology Centre (well not literally to catch it). The team brought half of Bolton with them, and they were all busying about like worker bees putting their rocket together and wiring up when we arrived...
Soon after the Coastguard turned up (just in case...),
And after an hour or two of tense anticipation (and a bit of lying about chatting in the September sunshine), a rocket appeared...
....was slotted into place...
... for final lift-off!
Photos: Roger and Pam Walton
Phew, what a day!
Thanks Team Black Streak - we hope you broke the rocket speed record (Black Streak apparently goes at twice the speed of sound, yikes), and we'll keep a look out for that missing bit of rocket for you. For anyone interested in rocketeering and want to know how the team did (or you've just found a strange pointy object washed up on the beach and want to return it to its owner), check out their website, and more about the rocket, here. They are lovely people too!
For coverage of the rocket launch go to the BBC News website, here, or see the launch on Reporting Scotland on the BBC i-player for the next 7 days (14.20 minutes in).