Centari Satalite killer

[CharlaineC]

Has anyone ever cloned this rocket? i see the plans on jim z and love the looks but with the satalite dish looks rough to clone.

 

[rokitflite]

Yes, a MAJOR pain in the *trailing edge* to clone... It was 90% die-cut cardboard. They were VERY plentiful though and don't demand a very high price on Ebay... I've seen them go as low as $30. A very cool model, designed by Bill Stine.

 

[MarkII]

I ordered all the parts for it not too long ago, and I will be starting mine pretty soon. I'm not worried about the decals - I figured that I would just cut some out of some holographic sticker sheets that I have. I was going to use balsa (paper-laminated) for the cardboard parts.

MarkII

 

[rokitflite]

I ordered all the parts for it not too long ago, and I will be starting mine pretty soon. I'm not worried about the decals - I figured that I would just cut some out of some holographic sticker sheets that I have. I was going to use balsa (paper-laminated) for the cardboard parts.

MarkII

You MAY wanna do 1/16" plywood. Balsa might be too fragile/rigid on those long arms going out to the solar panels.

 

[MarkII]

You MAY wanna do 1/16" plywood. Balsa might be too fragile/rigid on those long arms going out to the solar panels.

You know, I started to write plywood, but then thought, nahhh, too heavy. But I'll give some thought to it; I agree that balsa (by itself, at least) would probably not be strong enough. I do have 1/64", 1/32", 1/16" and 1/8" plywood. I have used 1/16" for fins, and I'm sure that it would be quite strong enough for the Sat-K's arms. (The original used cardboard, for Pete's sake!) But I'll also have to take a look at the weight. I'm also considering basswood. I'll also look at laminating different woods together, like balsa and ply. Question: do those panel arms get torqued much, in, say, the landing, for instance?

At one time, I was also thinking about using wood-veneered foam core board for them, but now I think that I'll save that for the upscale...

Finally, Charlaine: if you are planning on cloning the Satellite Killer, then you should also clone the Red Eye. After all, they were meant to be launched together, so that you could pretend that the Sat-K "shot down" the USSR spy satellite. Ahh, yes, wasn't the Cold War great?

MarkII

 

[MarkII]

I'm also guessing that launching this design on a D24 would be a bad idea?

MarkII

 

[CharlaineC]

beleave it or not but they both are in my plan to build stack but the sk was never mentonad as i can tell in build threads so i woundered about the ease of cloneing.

 

[MarkII]

beleave it or not but they both are in my pla to build stack but the sk was nevermentonad as build threads so i woundered about the ease of cloneing.

I don't think that it would be a big deal - after all, if someone like me feels ready to tackle it, then...

Keep in mind that when I say that I'm about to start cloning one, it means that I might get it going sometime in the next couple of years... Yours will probably be built, flown and crashed long before I ever get started on mine.

Also, I'm not good about writing build threads, either.

MarkII

 

[Peartree]

And still no one posts pictures or drawings or anything...

 

[EchoVictor]

Umm, the Satellite Killer's my avatar?

How about these?

Later,
EV

 

[shreadvector]

Note to everyone: This model was great but really, REALLY needed the C5-3 motor for a safe boost speed off the rod. If you fly with a low thrust motor it may arc over and crash.

Aerotech D10-3 motor would be nice.

https://www.valuerockets.com/product_details.aspx?pid=2&itemid=1

 

[Peartree]

Sweet!

Thanks. Now I'm very interested in how this would fly.

 

[InFlight]

I've been thinking about cloning this for me self.

Satellite Killer Plans

 

[MarkII]

Note to everyone: This model was great but really, REALLY needed the C5-3 motor for a safe boost speed off the rod. If you fly with a low thrust motor it may arc over and crash.

Aerotech D10-3 motor would be nice.

https://www.valuerockets.com/product_details.aspx?pid=2&itemid=1

So maybe a D24 COULD be used, and the model would not leave those solar panels behind on the pad?

EV, I was wondering when you would ring in!

MarkII

 

[MarkII]

Umm, the Satellite Killer's my avatar?

How about these?

Later,
EV

Don't forget the Red Eye, too. (She's lookin' nice, Buzz...)

Here's the 1981 Centuri catalog page that announced the kits.

MarkII

 

[rokitflite]

And still no one posts pictures or drawings or anything...

You KNOW I'm a fan of this kit... My built one bit the dust though

 

[CharlaineC]

Not fair leaving them in the bags like that all alone and thinking their not loved. then they turn out evil and mean. you ever see toystory 2

 

[rokitflite]

Not fair leaving them in the bags like that all alone and thinking their not loved. then they turn out evil and mean. you ever see toystory 2

They are already "Killers" Charlaine...

 

[JAL3]

You KNOW I'm a fan of this kit... My built one bit the dust though

Those are showing a dangerous tendency towards clumping together along lines inspired by individual appearance. They all look the same and need more diversity. I would be willing to do my part in taking one of them in to provide a diverse homelife for one of them...

 

[MarkII]

Not fair leaving them in the bags like that all alone and thinking their not loved. then they turn out evil and mean. you ever see toystory 2

Yeah, Scott - you know that you can't cling to power forever. Someday the masses will rise up against you...

Personally, I live in fear of an attack by my clones!

MarkII

 

[CharlaineC]

ohh ohh i know scott you could "foster" them out to loveing homes and maybe their killing side will go away with love

 

[rokitflite]

But "Satellite Lover" just does not have the same ring to it.

 

[CharlaineC]

true...

 

[JAL3]

I've done work with troubled youths and others...I suppose trying to rehabilitate a satellite killer is not unreasonable...

 

[MarkII]

I don't know... I say, let the Sat-K do it's job, and death to the Red Eye!

MarkII, Saber-Rattler

P.S. Scott - I'd keep an eye on that crowd, though, if I were you. If you start to notice that whenever you walk into the room or open the bin where they are stored, and everything gets suddenly quiet, and none of them will make eye contact with you...well, that should be cause for concern.

Also, keep your back to the wall; they are killers, after all.