Estes should abandon their ridiculous refusal to offer any port-burning SU BP motors and produce a BP port-burning 24mm D and E that would be suitable for the LJII kit.
How hard can it be to produce a D20 or E25 ???
It would not even have to be a drilled port. It could be pintle-pressed like the old B8 and C5 motors. Anything short is just an EXCUSE. Safety need not be compromised. If it could be done from the 60's through the 90's with far lower tech, it can be done now safer and cheaper via computer-controlled automation.

A Starship Nova and an upscaled Starship Nova (like they did with the Big Interceptor) would be awesome.
John and the entire Estes staff have succeeded in listening to us regarding having great kit offerings and bring-backs. I'd really like to see the Nike Ajax back.

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When in doubt, WHACK the GAS and DITCH the brake !!!

Yes, there is such a thing as NORMAL, if you have to ask what is "NORMAL" , you probably aren't !
Failure may not be an OPTION, but it is ALWAYS a POSSIBILITY.
ALL systems are GO for MAYHEM, CHAOS, TURMOIL, FIASCOS, and HAVOC !

The first option that popped into my mind was the X-16, but the Starship Nova would be a good one too. I pretty much like anything that has a cockpit nosecone!

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Nova also has the neat cutout disks that lend themselves to be laser cut. And we all know how much John loves his laser cutter.

kj

The interview was very nice. It raises the question there are not many folks with a good sense of history of Estes (Centuri) that are making it onto the internet. They are getting older too. I would like to see some of the old-timers interviewed before they can't participate.

On John's own personal motor wish of a stepped thrust composite, I have made them and they work.

I would cheerfully help Estes make a mass-produced version.

http://v-serv.com/usr/motors/e8.html

http://v-serv.com/usr/motors/f9.html

These are 24mm motors so are compatible with the widest selection of kits.

http://v-serv.com/usr/motors/e5.html

http://v-serv.com/usr/motors/f6.html

These are 29mm. That episode had a discussion about small sparkies. Here are some reliable ones:

http://v-serv.com/usr/motors/f22f.html

http://v-serv.com/usr/motors/e15f.html

http://v-serv.com/usr/motors/e15f2.html

http://v-serv.com/usr/motors/f23f.html

These are 24mm and 29mm! Some were certified in the past for consumer use (29mm E15FS, F30FS, G45FS). They caused the reaction by Vern Estes against sparkies that was later proven by testing to be an unwarranted concern. To be fair one of his concerns was confusing model rocketry with fireworks. I agree with that position.

Tech Jerry

One other thing I learned from the interview (I could have easily handled another hour or two, wish they didn't arbitrarily try to keep the show to an hour): John works fast. Designed the Black Star Voyager in a day. This makes me feel inadequate.

But I was happy to hear that that was possibly his favorite design, because it's my favorite as well (maybe my favorite of all time, to be honest). I should work up the nerve to try to build one one of these days.

And as a final note on that rocket, John said he didn't care for some of the "deco" jobs the art department came up with, but I think they nailed the BSV design perfectly.

Since John implied the next Sci-Fi model would use a newly revived nose cone I think the X-16 and the Corsair aren't likely - both those cones have been used on recent models. That leaves the Starship Nova or Nova Scoutship. That dropped nose, cockpit style cone and all black paint schemes fit his hints. My guess is Starship Nova, laser cutting would make the shrouds much better to work with than die cutting and the larger size model gives customers more perceived value.

This is something we have both been advocating for many years. I know a particular ex-employee who completed testing on them. So in that sense they exist. There seems to be a marketing or compliance concern.

Since John seems to want them for the products he designs, perhaps he can have a gentle but persistent advocacy of that direction. I would expect to see them in only 24mm motors and only in the longer casing. They might need better humidity controlled packaging and a longer curing time before packaging.

BTW
18D37-3,5,7
36E60-3,5,7

I finished listening to the podcast on one of my long dog walks.

Thanks to John for being a guest, and to the hosts for a fine podcast. I hadn't heard it before and will be adding it to the rotation.

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NAR #27085 - Oregon Rocketry - SAM

Is that true? The X-16 used that long needle-nose shape. I don't think I've seen that on a kit in a long time.

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John,

Many thanks for the insider's view!

Can't wait to see what's next.

Bob

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illegitimi non carborundum

NAR# 54643 L-1

SAM# 043

AMA# 157091

VRCS# 154

A&P# 42x xx xxxx.