MOTAT partners with Rocket Lab Education

The Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT) is excited to announce a new partnership with Aotearoa New Zealand’s leading space specialists, Rocket Lab.

Looking to launch an interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) to a new generation of innovators, Rocket Lab and MOTAT have collaborated to bring tamariki an intensive after-school rocketry workshop; ROCKET CLUB.

Over ten weeks, the students of ROCKET CLUB will have the unique opportunity to work with a Rocket Lab engineer who will take them through the rocket-building steps. Using 3D design software, participants will design and build a prototype rocket, test, and modify their prototype for launch.

Fifteen students will be counting their lucky stars as they receive a crash course on aerodynamics and stability, technical assembly, stack testing, model rocket safety code, launch processes, and rocket recovery processes from the best in the business.

Rocket Lab Education Lead, Felicity Powell says, “As we expand our education programs to make space accessible to all, it made sense to partner with one of New Zealand’s most beloved institutions to share the magic of space and rocketry with rangatahi. We’re excited to find more ways to share what we love about Space and STEM, and this is one of them.”

MOTAT has a history of running innovative after-school programmes which have previously focused on robotics, coding, and game design. This is the Museum’s first mission into rocketry and aerodynamics.

MOTAT Education Manager, Julie Baker is looking forward to the partnership, “This is a fantastic opportunity for students passionate about space to get hands-on, make the most of Rocket Lab’s incredible resources, and learn from highly skilled experts working in the field.”

ROCKET CLUB has been launched with generous funding from Rocket Lab which aims to support programmes which foster curiosity and wonder about space and technology.

MOTAT Chief Executive, Michael Frawley says “We are honored to work with Rocket Lab to make grass-root programmes such as ROCKET CLUB available to students in Tāmaki Makaurau”.

The inaugural ROCKET CLUB begins with the start of the school term on Tuesday 3 May. The workshop is open to all students aged 10+ years and is expected to sell out in lightspeed.