SPACEPORT Cornwall has created a team of young journalists from across the county to cover the lead-up to its first launch later this year - including a 15 year-old from Looe.

Following a competition to find budding young Cornish journalists which closed at the end of January, the Spaceport, at Newquay Airport, has now selected its 2022 Launch Crew of youngsters - who will be given the exciting task of documenting the historic road to the first ever launch from UK soil this summer.

The team has been chosen to showcase the opportunities that the launch will bring to Cornwall and to share the key moments and behind-the- scenes action in the lead-up to lift-off. The competition called for applications under five categories - video producing, podcasting, social media management, reporting and journalism.

After receiving close to 200 entries from secondary school children across Cornwall, the Spaceport Cornwall team had the difficult decision of choosing a winner in each category.

Fifteen-year-old Kyra Hoskin from Looe Community Academy has been selected as the social media creator; 13-year-old Rosie Wills from Humphry Davy School in Penzance has been chosen as the print journalist; 13-year-old Ryan Woods from Redruth Academy has been chosen as on-screen reporter; 16-year-old Katie Ireland has won the video producer category; and 11-year-old Zoe Godfrey and 16-year-old Marcia Ward, both from Treviglas Academy in Newquay, will be delivering a co-hosted podcast after their incredible competition applications.

Each winner submitted creative and exciting work that showcased their talent for their chosen medium. For example, Zoe from Treviglas Academy reached out to Indigenous Australian Astronomer Karlie Noon, organising an interview for her podcast entry; Ryan created his own TV news bulletin; and Rosie reported from the future in her print submission.

The launch crew will now showcase the story of space in Cornwall and the UK through a multi-channel approach - highlighting the breadth of activity related to the space industry. In the lead-up to launch they will carry out exclusive interviews with the Spaceport team and its partners, as well as attending key events and documenting milestones.

The announcement was made on February 24 at the Royal Cornwall Museum to surprise the winners, who had been invited under the pretence they had made the final of the competition.

Melissa Thorpe, Head of Spaceport Cornwall: “Moments like this are what we are all about. Spaceport Cornwall’s mission is to democratise space for everyone - and the younger generation are the key focus of this ambition. We want to make sure these students know that launch will not only benefit Cornwall in the short-term, but it will open up a world of opportunities long-term. Seeing the excitement in the room today makes the team and I so proud to be bringing space closer to home.”

Jon Tamlyn, Head of PSHE, Treviglas Academy: “I am thrilled that two Treviglas Academy students have been selected to be part of Spaceport Cornwall’s young launch crew. As a school we are immensely proud of Zoe and Marcia and know that they will be wonderful additions to the team. The opportunity to showcase their creative talents in a media capacity may well prove to be a formative experience for them. We thank the Spaceport Cornwall team for recognising the talents of Treviglas Academy students and creating industry links between Cornish business and local schools.”

This competition forms an integral part of Spaceport Cornwall’s outreach programme, which aims to engage with every young person in Cornwall. A key focus of the project is ensuring that the positive impact of increased launch capabilities is felt most within the community - creating and providing opportunities for local people, businesses and organisations. The Launch Crew will also explore and learn more about space sustainability, the role of satellites in fighting climate change, and how Cornwall will pioneer responsible launch.