The Faculty’s Race 2 Space (R2S) team was awarded the 2025 Sir Arthur Clarke Award for best Industry/Project Team by the British Interplanetary Society at an awards ceremony in London last month.
R2S is a rocket propulsion competition aimed at undergraduate students from across the UK and internationally, and the team was recognised for significantly improving the preparedness of the UK Space sector's workforce. They achieved this through enhanced knowledge transfer between industry and academia, combined with practical, hands-on experience in designing, manufacturing, and testing rocket engines.
Presented annually since 2005, ‘The Arthurs’ are designed to recognize and reward individuals and teams who have made notable or outstanding achievements in, or contributions to, space activities, with a particular focus on British achievements. Unlike most awards, nominations are accepted from both the general public and the official judging panel. This panel, which comprises up to 50 key players from all levels of the Space sector, selects the three finalists and the ultimate winner across the nine categories.
R2S has already made waves as a leader in its field and, with support from the government’s UK Space Agency, the competition provides students with exposure to complex, real-world engineering challenges - experiences often absent in traditional academic settings. Since its inception in 2022 and first competition in 2023 (starting with eight teams), the competition has seen rapid expansion: 18 teams in 2024 and 32 teams in 2025. The team are now experiencing significant international growth, with nearly 70 registrations for the 2026 competition, 26 of which are from outside the UK.
Dr Alistair John, Programme Lead for Aerospace Engineering and Race 2 Space co-founder, said: “It's amazing to see how the initiative has grown from a small idea a few years ago to teams from all around the world coming to the UK for rocket propulsion testing and education. What this means is that Sheffield is fast becoming a leader in Aerospace engineering initiatives and a serious competitor in this field.
He added: “Over the last three years R2S has successfully supported numerous students in developing skills and gaining experience with rocket propulsion. Looking ahead, we plan to expand internationally and integrate a wider range of advanced propulsion systems. Notably, our alumni are now thriving in the European Space Sector, proving the substantial reach, measurable value, and transformative impact of this program.”
