New Estes Scale Rocket

[Gus]

http://www.al.com/news/huntsvilletimes/index.ssf?/base/news/120047852881460.xml&coll=1

[Rocket Doctor]

I saw this prototype in Penrose back in April 2007, it was in it's design stage then. I'm very surprised that Estes has shown prototypes freely in public, like they did at the Makers Faire in Houston. What a change in thinking??????

Designed by Mike Dorffler.

[JoeLaunchman]

Ideally, Estes should come out with 2 new scale rockets based on the new NASA designs. The Ares I will be the crew launch vehicle for the new Orion capsule and the Ares V will be the cargo launch vehicle:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/constellation/ares/index.html

[dwmzmm]

I saw this prototype in Penrose back in April 2007, it was in it's design stage then. I'm very surprised that Estes has shown prototypes freely in public, like they did at the Makers Faire in Houston. What a change in thinking??????

Designed by Mike Dorffler.

I was given a hint the Constellation Program was very much in the crosshairs as far as future
new releases are concern. But I saw no prototypes related to the Ares at the Makers Faire; wouldn't be surprised if kits related to his are on the way.

Still, I pushed hard for the return of several classics from years past as well as some of the
much needed motors we can use.....

[Rocket Doctor]

I was given a hint the Constellation Program was very much in the crosshairs as far as future
new releases are concern. But I saw no prototypes related to the Ares at the Makers Faire; wouldn't be surprised if kits related to his are on the way.

Still, I pushed hard for the return of several classics from years past as well as some of the
much needed motors we can use.....

Dave

As you can see from this post, the prototype was revealed. Also, you saw more at the Makers Faire than anyone has seen in a long time. And I'm very surprised.

Motors is another issue, you know from the Estes Forum, I tried to get a larger selection of motors, including the B14, but, here we are a year later and nothing has happened.

[dwmzmm]

Dave

As you can see from this post, the prototype was revealed. Also, you saw more at the Makers Faire than anyone has seen in a long time. And I'm very surprised.

Motors is another issue, you know from the Estes Forum, I tried to get a larger selection of motors, including the B14, but, here we are a year later and nothing has happened.

Actually, I wasn't the only rocketeer who was at the Makers Faire and saw the classics &
prototypes; there were others present (including at least one who was on the most recent
USA team in the Internats in Russia)....

[Gus]

I'm very surprised that Estes has shown prototypes freely in public...
Rocket Doctor,

Why is Estes worried about tipping their cards? They have no significant competition in either motor or kit sales. And they routinely announce products they never end up producing. :o

It seems like publicizing prototypes might be a good market research tool.

In case anyone in Penrose is listening, produce this kit (but with clear fins).

[tbzep]

I saw this prototype in Penrose back in April 2007, it was in it's design stage then. I'm very surprised that Estes has shown prototypes freely in public, like they did at the Makers Faire in Houston. What a change in thinking??????

Designed by Mike Dorffler.

They probably didn't have much choice in this prototype getting publicity. NASA probably wouldn't have sent them the specs if Estes had demanded nobody see the prototype.

It is still beneficial for Estes. Dr. Zooch already has an Aeries kit on the market, but it's based on public drawings. Estes will potentially have a real scale model well ahead of the game unless changes are made before hardware starts being produced.

BTW, I wonder when the first Shuttle hardware actually got built. Estes had a "scale" model of the shuttle stack way before it's first flight in 1981. I think the Enterprise made it's first drop in 1977, but I don't remember seeing anthing about the ET or SRB's that early. Estes had the full stack in 1976.

[Royatl]

I saw this prototype in Penrose back in April 2007, it was in it's design stage then. I'm very surprised that Estes has shown prototypes freely in public, like they did at the Makers Faire in Houston. What a change in thinking??????

Designed by Mike Dorffler.

The article makes it sound like the models were commissioned from MSFC, not that they were likely to become Estes products (though I'm sure we'll see them eventually... I had forgotten that the first launch of the 'Stick' is now next year!)

[Royatl]

They probably didn't have much choice in this prototype getting publicity. NASA probably wouldn't have sent them the specs if Estes had demanded nobody see the prototype.

BTW, I wonder when the first Shuttle hardware actually got built. Estes had a "scale" model of the shuttle stack way before it's first flight in 1981. I think the Enterprise made it's first drop in 1977, but I don't remember seeing anthing about the ET or SRB's that early. Estes had the full stack in 1976.

I'm sure NASA commissioned the prototype, so Estes certainly had no say once it was delivered.

I'm sure that the companies bidding on the Shuttle contracts in 1972 pretty much knew what they were going to build if they won, so that when the contracts were awarded, there was plenty of definitive external data that could be provided to Estes/Monogram/Revell/etc. IIRC construction on the orbiters started in early 1974.

I still like the "orbiter as second stage of an S1-C" concept!

[dwmzmm]

I still like the "orbiter as second stage of an S1-C" concept!

There's a picture of a model of that in the Model Rocketry magazine....

[tbzep]

I'm sure NASA commissioned the prototype, so Estes certainly had no say once it was delivered.

I'm sure that the companies bidding on the Shuttle contracts in 1972 pretty much knew what they were going to build if they won, so that when the contracts were awarded, there was plenty of definitive external data that could be provided to Estes/Monogram/Revell/etc. IIRC construction on the orbiters started in early 1974.

I still like the "orbiter as second stage of an S1-C" concept!

Are/were you a fan of the X-20 Dyna-soar too? :)

[Royatl]

Are/were you a fan of the X-20 Dyna-soar too? :)


Not as much, but after years of Dyna-soar promotion, the sight of a Titan III with just a plain old nose cone was a bit weird!

[Rocket Doctor]

Rocket Doctor,

Why is Estes worried about tipping their cards? They have no significant competition in either motor or kit sales. And they routinely announce products they never end up producing. :o

It seems like publicizing prototypes might be a good market research tool.

In case anyone in Penrose is listening, produce this kit (but with clear fins).

I wanted to announce the Red Max and the Interceptor back in April 2007, and was told straight out NO. No prototypes or any hint of any kit was allowed to be discussed in anyway. Yet, several kits ended up in the catalog prematurely.

The NASA rocket was under development way before I saw it in April 2007 as well. I suggested another shuttle, but, was told, that's old hardware, let's do something that is current.

I'm sure that NASA liked the ideas that Estes was producing the kit, and, just expanded upon that.

It was the case with the Patriot missile going back to the first Gulf War, it was broadcast on CNN and sales went through the roof.

What better way to promote a kit then to have NASA endorse it and bring it to the attention of school children, it's a win/win situation.

My thoughts are ADVERTISE, when you create interest, you create sales.

I just don't know, let's see what happens over the coming months, and, a new 2008 catalog should be coming out soon, as it did last year, around the end of March, beginning of April, let's see what the pages hold.

[Johnnie]

Originaly posted by bayourat on the HARA email list...

http://www.whnt.com/global/video/popup/pop_playerLaunch.asp?clipId1=2102878&at1=Sales+%2D+Investments&vt1=v&h1=Redstone+Arsenal+Launches+Model+Ares+Rocket&d1=78200&redirUrl=www.whnt.com&activePane=info&LaunchPageAdTag=homepage&clipFormat=

What was not mentioned was that Homer Hickam is the man who pushed the button (silver haired man in the middle).


Johnnie

[LeeR]

I wish we could get NASA to put fins on the Ares , to make life easier for us modelers. :)

I hate adding fins onto a scale rocket to make it fly, even clear plastic ones.

[dwmzmm]

I wish we could get NASA to put fins on the Ares , to make life easier for us modelers. :)

I hate adding fins onto a scale rocket to make it fly, even clear plastic ones.

Well, add gimbal control!!

[LeeR]

Well, add gimbal control!!

Dang, good point. Guess I'll check with the companies that make altimeters and beepers and see what's available now ...

[Rocket Doctor]

If you viewed the news video from Houston, the Aries 1 landed on the roof of a building and broke a fin. I guess a little more angle in the oposite direction could have prevented it???

[tbzep]

If you viewed the news video from Houston, the Aries 1 landed on the roof of a building and broke a fin. I guess a little more ange in the oposite direction could have prevented it???

It's only fitting that it hit a govt. building considering all that Homer was accused of in his early amateur rocketry days. :D

[Rocket Doctor]

That is known as renovations.......

[Gus]

If you viewed the news video from Houston, the Aries 1 landed on the roof of a building and broke a fin. I guess a little more angle in the oposite direction could have prevented it???

The Wrong Stuff?

Huntsville - 1-16-08 - AP

Where have all the rocket scientists gone?

Nasa today revealed photographs of the first launch, and crash, of its new moon rocket, the Ares. The test vehicle, a public-private collaboration of NASA and the Estes-Cox Corporation ended in surprising failure when the vehicle veered off course and struck a NASA building. Although no personnel were killed, the vehicle suffered catastrophic damage to its guidance system.

Extensive photo-surveilance of the launch has yet to reveal the cause, "but we're looking at it" stated Early Cato, Nasa propulsion engineer. "We specifically partnered with Estes-Cox because of their particular expertise with this kind of vehicle," said Cato. "They've launched dozens of similarly engineered rockets before, but this is the first that we know of to have struck a Nasa building."

Estes-Cox had no comment.

What will this mean for the space program? Government Management consultant Max Inertia suggests the consequences could be dire. "With only a five year layoff between the retirement of the shuttle and the first manned Ares mission, there's not a lot of time to spare. To build rockets to actually leave earth orbit takes time. I mean, it's not like we've done this before. We're talking going to the moon here. So the pressure's really on if we're going to beat the Chinese."

Nasa hopes to schedule another launch of the scale Ares in the future, but has provided no date as of yet.

[snaquin]

The Wrong Stuff?

Huntsville - 1-16-08 - AP

Where have all the rocket scientists gone?

Nasa today revealed photographs of the first launch, and crash, of its new moon rocket, the Ares. The test vehicle, a public-private collaboration of NASA and the Estes-Cox Corporation ended in surprising failure when the vehicle veered off course and struck a NASA building. Although no personnel were killed, the vehicle suffered catastrophic damage to its guidance system.

Extensive photo-surveilance of the launch has yet to reveal the cause, "but we're looking at it" stated Early Cato, Nasa propulsion engineer. "We specifically partnered with Estes-Cox because of their particular expertise with this kind of vehicle," said Cato. "They've launched dozens of similarly engineered rockets before, but this is the first that we know of to have struck a Nasa building."

Estes-Cox had no comment.

What will this mean for the space program? Government Management consultant Max Inertia suggests the consequences could be dire. "With only a five year layoff between the retirement of the shuttle and the first manned Ares mission, there's not a lot of time to spare. To build rockets to actually leave earth orbit takes time. I mean, it's not like we've done this before. We're talking going to the moon here. So the pressure's really on if we're going to beat the Chinese."

Nasa hopes to schedule another launch of the scale Ares in the future, but has provided no date as of yet.

Thank God no personnel were killed .....

:rolleyes:

[Rocket Doctor]

I heard that a few pigeons were left homeless though.

[zrs4]

it was probably sabotaged by the same people who never let estes make any decent

scale rockets!!

T

[Rocket Doctor]

It just turned out to be a surface to surface missile.....