DR YAN WONG:So you know that Bloodhound has a rocket on the back of it, yeah? Do you know how rockets actually work? SCHOOL BOY #1:Fire's out one end and– SCHOOL BOY #2:Energy comes out the other.

Just before dawn on the icy plains of Central Asia, a giant hanger door opens and a train towing a 2,000 tonne Soyuz rocket rolls to the launch pad in the morning light. On launch day, three ...