Launch Site

EARS currently hold monthly launches on a 1,600 acre farm near the village of Elsworth, which is about 15-20 minutes West of Cambridge. The launch site is excellent with ample parking and preparation areas. We now have a Porta-Loo on site which makes it much easier for visitors with children. There is no on site water. The site is also a working farm and the farmer can be spraying his crops or working in fields close to the launch area, also launches around harvest can be affected.

Because safety is our primary concern, all our flying is done in accordance with the UKRA Safety Code. We also require that all flyers have some form of third party insurance, just in case something goes wrong. So if you wish to fly up to and including G impulse, we ask you to have at least BMFA insurance and if you fly H or above impulse, then you must be a UKRA member and you can only fly within your certification level. For overseas and other visitors it is possible to take out temporary 1 month UKRA membership. This will cover you up to G impulse or to a certification level held by members of other UKRA recognised rocketry organisations (TRA, NAR, CAR). To avoid disapointment please let us know in advance if you plan to do this by emailing us.

The launch site is in uncontrolled airspace up to 19,500 feet and we issue NOTAM's through the CAA to inform other air traffic when we are launching. For our launches we request that the CAA issue a NOTAM for 10,000 feet. Our ability to fly to this altitude may change as a result of the current consultation document issued by NATS and the CAA to relocate air corridors to major airports and holding stacks. (one is likely to be situated on top of the EARS site.)

Useful GPS and OS Map Coordinates for the EARS Launch Site :-

• GPS Coords: WGS 84 N52 15.068 W0 05.561
• Ord Survey: TL 30198 63628
• Site Elevation: 53m ASL

Getting to the site is easy as it's not very far from the A1, A14 or the M11. Follow the directions below to get to the site:

• From the North
• From the East
• From the South
• From the West

IMPORTANT: Our Landowner has decided that he needs to restrict access to motor vehicles on to his land. To do this he will be fitting gates to all the access roads on to the site. These gates will be locked. We will have access to the site through only one of these gates. This will be the access road in the middle of Rouges Lane (previous visitors will know this as the entrance we used to ask people not to use). This entrance is indicated by the GREEN TICK on the map below. Please DO NOT try to enter the site by the old, or any other, entrance. Marked with RED CROSSES.

The Rouges Lane Entrance:-

• GPS Coords: +52° 15' 43.80", -0° 7' 5.94" (52.262167, -0.118317)
• Postcode district: CB3 8
• OS Grid ref: TL299640

IMPORTANT: The access tracks are very narrow concrete tracks with deep ditches either side. You CANNOT turn round or pass on them. Please be considerate and allow traffic already on a section of track to proceed towards you. Wait at the right angle corner turns patiently to allow room for traffic to pass. The sections of track are quite long and there are no other passing places than the corners.

The site is sign posted on event days from Brockley Road, with "A3" size signs which look like this...

Please note the colours may be different on the actual signs. The signs can be "dayglo" Green, Pink, Red or Orange. Either way we hope you find them easy to spot !