A Norfolk charity has launched a new Space Race challenge after Tim Peake's journey got more children interested in space.
Five schools will compete against teams from the UK and Africa as part of a unique charity space race.
Competitors in the Yellobric Space Race will use their knowledge of science and maths to create crafts, using balloons and computer technology, which can be sent into space.
Whichever team can launch its craft furthest into space will be crowned winners and receive £1,000 of star-gazing equipment.
City of Norwich School, Flegg High School in Martham, Reepham High School, Norwich School and Sir Isaac Newton Sixth Form in Norwich are the five schools taking part in the race which begins in Spring 2017.
Once they have launched their spacecrafts, students will use portable computers to track the balloons and send back high-altitude images of the crafts via a radio transmitter.
The race is being run by Yellobric, a Norfolk-based charity, set up in 2011, which gives online education equipment to pupils in South Africa and Ethiopia.
Gavin Paterson, founder of Yellobric, said the race was also a cultural project that hoped to develop links between schools in the UK and Africa.
He said: 'It is great to see these five Norfolk schools sign up for the Yellobric School Space Race.
'Not only will they see the benefits of partnering with schools in Africa but will also be able to share information about the Space Race project as well as gain a better understanding of each other's lives.'
Yellobric is capitalising on an increased interest in space since Tim Peake's mission to the International Space Station.
Mr Paterson said: 'That has generated so much interest and this project builds upon that.' He said students would always find the idea of space travel an 'exciting topic'.
The charity ran a successful pilot of the project in Africa last year and hopes that by involving Norfolk schools it can encourage more students, and particularly girls, who have often been underrepresented in science industries, to pursue careers in physics, engineering and maths.
For more information, visit www.schoolspacerace.com
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here