So Long should be in the catalog if Estes thinks they'll have 29mm motors back in stock in quantity. If it doesn't appear, I'd see that as potentially ominous for the immediate future of those motors.
If the high-thrust E motor ever comes out, I could see PSII being revitalized. The thrust might even require new rockets. Hard to know what to make of PSII though with the existing spare parts drying up.
If the C5-0 debuts, perhaps it would bring a few new 18mm-powered multistagers with it.
I think the current concept PSII rockets are going to be with us for awhile. Outside of the (probably) new nose cone for the minimum diameter BT-52H So Long most of the recent PSII kits have used common nose cones, parts and body tubes - the Star Orbiter - BT-60, Super Big Bertha - BT-80, BDRM and Doorknob - T-300, all used balsa fins and paper centering rings. The only “unique” part was the new 3” upscale of the PNC-60AH nose cone for the BDRM.
Plus the So Long has been announced in hobby trade magazines, I’d say it’s coming - even if 29mm motor production isn’t back up to speed the SL will work just fine on adapted 24mm motors in the interim.
John Boren has all but come out and confirmed that the Mercury Atlas (good one kuririn!) is coming and I won’t be surprised to see another scale model of a current launch service rocket - no idea which but it would fit with their recent history. Way back in 2019 at NARAM 61 the folks from Estes were talking about a line of scale RTFs of manned spaceflight rockets - they’ve released four so far (though the SLS hasn’t carried any humans yet). So maybe an RTF Soyuz?
I think we’ll get more lower skill level Destination Mars and Space Corps kits - probably another Destination Mars kit since the Longship is a fairly sophisticated “Advanced” build, an “Intermediate” level kit similar to the Corvette Class would fit.
As far as bring backs and upscales go the sky is the limit. In the past I’d have said we wouldn’t get anything that needed a new mold for a nose cone but with all the new cones they’ve done over the last few years who knows? Could be anything. There’s currently no V-2 or larger HoJo in production - Estes hasn’t gone long without at least one of those in the catalog, so maybe a return of one or both as possibly part of the also hinted at return of the Maxi Brute line? My personal wish is not nearly so grandiose - I’d love to see the Mini Brute line revived, both bring backs and new designs. Flying small 13mm powered rockets can be a lot of fun on small fields.
With the more reliable StarTech starters maybe we’ll see a few cluster motored kits? It’s been a long time since there’s been one of those from Estes.
We should know in a few weeks, the new catalog is supposedly coming by the end of January.
