ESTES Shuttle
 

I can't remember how long I have looked forward to a new kit coming out, as much as I have for the new ESTES Shuttle. Late May can't get here fast enough.

Thanks John. Any build tips.
Hope you will give use some insight on this kits.

Looks pretty cool and should give clustering opportunities too for putting motor mounts in the "SRB" tubes.
Wish they would bring back the original 1284 Space Shuttle upgraded to 24mm or upscale it to 4" BT-101 ET size and make it 29mm. Better YET would be a kit of the size of the old NCR Space Shuttle, but with Estes quality.

John posted this on the other forum.

The way the 'orbiter' goes together looks VERY cool and FOOL-proof.

John Boren is really going to town with these CAD-designed, laser-cut structures. I think it's awesome, a real step forward for this hobby.

My only complaint with this model is I feel the four bottom boosters are a little excessive (although they'd be great as a cluster). But I wouldn't be surprised if they're there for stability, to offset the drag of the orbiter on the other side.

I'm sure John has a reason for all the tubing used on the rocket.
I would say he has worked hard to keep the weight down, and the performance up.
I like the design because it looks like a rocket NASA would come up with.

Hey John!
May is almost over; will the Shuttle be available by the end of May?

Allen

Looks like if you moved the vertical stabs to the fuse and put them in a shallow V angle it would look a lot like the new Indian Shuttle technology demonstrator, then stick it on a custom booster and voila....

It's now available on the Estes site!!!

I am greatly looking forward to the first build thread. Should be a very interesting kit to build, and I think the orbiter construction style might be a first for any commercial kit (?)