INSTITUTION OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY - LIFE ON MARS

We’re flying high after sending the first ever clarinet into space for the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) today.

The supersonic instrument was the winning entry into the competition we set up between the IET and the iconic Beano comic, inviting six to 13-year olds to design a product they could not live without on Mars. 10 year-old Elin, an aspiring astrophysicist from Worcestershire, designed the clarinet which was then hurtled 35km in the sky, where it experienced temperatures as low as -63°C before rocketing back to earth at speeds of over 150mph.

The competition was launched on the back of research we commissioned for the IET exploring which items Brits would most like to take into space. And it seems home comforts would be hard to leave behind with 36% of children saying they would most like to take their TV and 31% of adults taking their bed with them.

The aim of the campaign is to help encourage children’s interest in engineering and technology, particularly in aerospace. It’s part of our ongoing strategy to inspire children to consider a career in engineering and educate parents on how to encourage an interest in STEM subjects.