Any thoughts on Vacuum-Forming?
 

Carl,

Wicked thought...

Just how difficult would it be (from a manufacturer's POV) to kit up a Retro-Repro of the old Estes Space Shuttle stack with a gliding orbiter? One could presume the ET and SRB's would be simple enough to cut balsa for, but it's obviously the glider that would be the big issue.

Options could include clustered 18mm engines, or a single 24mm, to give it the needed power hike.

If the glider were re-designed from scratch, improvements to the handling could be incorporated...