Estes 2022 catalog

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Kind of looks like the USS Enterprise got speared....

So I'm assuming it's a single motor design... Looks like an excellent candidate for a 3 motor cluster.

You cut out the coolest part of the page... I want one just because Bill Simon designed it.. retro cool.

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John Boren commented on YORF that Bill Simon sent him his original model so it could be “reverse engineered” into a current kit 😉
 
I like the general look and design of this catalog...IMO the best one in many years.

The reappearance of the A3-6T is really intriguing. It originally went away because of the variations in BP batches made it impossible to produce 6 sec delays using batches with low specific impulse. I wonder if they changed suppliers to make it possible again? That probably translates to higher costs since the specs have to be tightened. I'd be interested to hear what the actual delay turns out to be.
 
I like the general look and design of this catalog...IMO the best one in many years.

The reappearance of the A3-6T is really intriguing. It originally went away because of the variations in BP batches made it impossible to produce 6 sec delays using batches with low specific impulse. I wonder if they changed suppliers to make it possible again? That probably translates to higher costs since the specs have to be tightened. I'd be interested to hear what the actual delay turns out to be.
Agreed, although catalog reviews are lame. Front and back covers are valuable spaces. I don't think I would have put the same rocket on both. I hate that product weights were scrubbed out of the catalog. Finished rocket weights were always questionable, but bare parts are not. Perhaps somebody should make a supplemental catalog insert with the missing weights? Still, the catalog is far from the golden years of Estes, when the catalog included scientific and finishing supplies, and a helpful yellow educational section. BTW, Estes does sell glues an paints and many other items on their website.

I certainly welcome the return of the A3-2T and A3-6T. They were staples of Midwest contests like A R/G and A SD. I just can't see redesigning models to fly on A10-3T and A3-4T engines. I always thought Estes should just pony up for the better power for the A3-6T. That said, competition is dead in my area, just down the road from NAR HQ, and I don't see it coming back. Although I'd be happy to be an enabler, more so than a competitor. I suspect that these motors are being produced for the FAI World Champioships. They will probably make one production run and then drop them. They don't even have any kits that require them. Still, I think once the NAR Contest Certifies them, they can be used in contests for three years. Regardless, all catalog motor data is bogus an one must wait untill the assay report comes in from S&T. I wonder if the old motors will be NAR contest usable as well. I'll have to wait for the full story befor I decide how many I want to buy.
 
…I don't think I would have put the same rocket on both. I hate that product weights were scrubbed out of the catalog. Finished rocket weights were always questionable, but bare parts are not. Perhaps somebody should make a supplemental catalog insert with the missing weights?…
The estimated weights are on the website if they’re really needed.
 
I hate that product weights were scrubbed out of the catalog. Finished rocket weights were always questionable, but bare parts are not. Perhaps somebody should make a supplemental catalog insert with the missing weights?
I must have been hallucinating the first time I looked, I thought weights were there. Impossible for me to understand why they wouldn't include them.

But then it doesn't really matter to me because although I wore out my catalogs ever year as a kid just like everyone else around here, I don't use the catalog as a reference anymore. The website is the canonical reference.
 
I must have been hallucinating the first time I looked, I thought weights were there. Impossible for me to understand why they wouldn't include them.

But then it doesn't really matter to me because although I wore out my catalogs ever year as a kid just like everyone else around here, I don't use the catalog as a reference anymore. The website is the canonical reference.
And the website has an encyclopedic amount of information - more than any catalog could reasonably hold https://estesrockets.com/edu-videos-and-lesson-plans/

The center of pressure technical report has 37 pages all by itself 😉
 
It has arrived,
 

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Estes typically raises it's prices 5%-7% each year. It also depends on how long the kit has been in production. Longer in production=More price increases.
In addition material costs go up along with overhead.

This year's price increases do seem to be a bit higher than in past years...
I would think that Longer in Production should mean price increase for materials and cost of doing business but not for R&D since that gets recovered at some point.
 
I suspect that these motors are being produced for the FAI World Champioships.

The 2023 FAI World Championships will be flown using 1/2A motors for the four performance events traditionally flown at A impulse (parachute, streamer, helicopter, and rocket glide duration).

James
 
The 2023 FAI World Championships will be flown using 1/2A motors for the four performance events traditionally flown at A impulse (parachute, streamer, helicopter, and rocket glide duration).

James
Is that to make it more competitive?
 
Is that to make it more competitive?

No, the idea is to lower the performance a bit. These models can travel great distances downrange, and by lowering the impulse a bit the hope is that more models will be recovered closer to the rangehead.

We've followed parachute duration models downrange more than ten kilometers, and recovered them successfully. It's a great deal of fun, but not exactly the best use of anyone's time on the range.
 
No, the idea is to lower the performance a bit. These models can travel great distances downrange, and by lowering the impulse a bit the hope is that more models will be recovered closer to the rangehead.

We've followed parachute duration models downrange more than ten kilometers, and recovered them successfully. It's a great deal of fun, but not exactly the best use of anyone's time on the range.
Maybe, but the effect is to demphasize drag and craftsmanship, and emphasize piston launchers.
 
Wrong.

Let me put it another way: I want to reduce the possibility that someone gets creamed on a Texas highway while chasing their model.
Spoil sport. Contest rocketry is all about the thrill of the chase and heroic recoveries. I've been wrong before, and no doubt will be again.

So, I already made use of the "free" Estes catalog. Now they are trying to hit me up for $150...
 
John Boren commented on the catalog thread over at YORF - there has been no changes to the Star Orbiter. Evidently whomever did the image composition for the 2022 catalog shot of the SO made a mistake.
I wonder if Steve at @Launch Lab Rocketry could make an alternative upgrade kit for the Star Orbiter with TTW fins in the Vapor pattern? Maybe toss in a bit of nose cone clay. I'd certainly be interested in one like that and building a Star Orbiter/Vapor hybrid.
 
Does anyone else find it strange that the A3-6T is classified as a single-stage motor? The delay is longer than the A8-5, which is marked as an upper-stage motor. I’m assuming there is a reason for this?
There’s some good info from BEC on post #61
 
Bill said they're using less photo models but seems like there's more, or the graphics are getting more realistic.

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Not sure if this was brought up, but what's wrong with this photo?

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Bill said they're using less photo models but seems like there's more, or the graphics are getting more realistic.

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Not sure if this was brought up, but what's wrong with this photo?

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A ton of stuff, now that I think about it. The rod is too short and likely too thin, that doesn’t look like the Pro Series II pad or anything resembling competent DIY mid/high power equipment, and that park is way too small to fly it on the recommended motors unless they’ve way underpowered it or put a streamer in it.

Then again, it’s not something that screams out to me. It’s good enough for a catalog photo.
 
A ton of stuff, now that I think about it. The rod is too short and likely too thin, that doesn’t look like the Pro Series II pad or anything resembling competent DIY mid/high power equipment, and that park is way too small to fly it on the recommended motors unless they’ve way underpowered it or put a streamer in it.

Then again, it’s not something that screams out to me. It’s good enough for a catalog photo.
That's an Estes E launch pad. For midpower rockets.
Supposedly.
I know, I have one.
Two holes for a 3/16" and a 1/4" launch rod.
I have staked the legs down with steel U bolts and launched some heavier rockets on it, but you're right, it's not the best mid power solution.
And small park? Shoot, we launch 24mm motors at Waipahu all the time.
😁
PS at some point they're going to need a controller.
 
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