The challenge: using nothing but muscle power, fire a ball as far as possible.

Using only their own muscles, the teams must fire a ball as far as they can. But this is much more a trial of brain over mere brawn at the Defence Evaluation Research Agency (DERA) range at Shoeburyness, near Southend on the Essex coast. The winner must find the best way of storing as much human energy as possible and then releasing it in a short controlled burst with a trajectory of up to half a kilometre. The challenge may end up with a compressed-air cannon competing against a giant clay-pigeon trap or a spring-operated crossbow.

Click here for Robert's dramatic interpretation of a missile launcher.

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