SCALE - Astrobee Gallery

[JAL3]

Welcome to the SCALE Astrobee Gallery on TRF.

This gallery showcases the Astrobee sounding rocket and those rockets derived from it. Particularly appropriate in this thread are the following:


AeroTech: Astrobee D: #89015
Centuri: Aerobee 350: KC-5 or #5065 See Editorial Note for This Rocket
Centuri: Astrobee 350: KC-5 or #5065
Enertek: Astrobee 1500: #8821
Yank: Astrobee D (2"):



as well as any upscales, downscales, clones, kitbashes or other derivative works. Even Goonies qualify!



Astrobee is the designation of series of American sounding rockets with 1 - 3 stages. Several versions were realized.

The three-stage Astrobee 500 (first stage: Genius, second stage: Alcor, third stage: Asp) has a ceiling of 1000 km, a takeoff thrust of 161 kN, a takeoff weight of 900 kg, a diameter of 0.38 m and a length of 7.80 m.

The three-stage Astrobee 1500 (first stage: Recruit, second stage: Aero jet, third stage: Alcor) has a ceiling of 1000 km, a takeoff thrust of 566 kN, a takeoff weight of 5200 kg, a diameter of 0.79 m and a length of 10.40 m.

The two-stage Astrobee 200 (first stage: Genius, second stage: Alcor) has a ceiling of 350 km, a takeoff thrust of 161 kN, a takeoff weight of 800 kg, a diameter of 0.38 m and a length of 6.30 m.

The single-stage Astrobee D has a ceiling of 140 km, a takeoff thrust of 23.00 kN, a takeoff weight of 100 kg, a diameter of 0.15 m and a length of 3.90 m.

The single-stage Astrobee F has a ceiling of 375 km, a takeoff thrust of 178.00 kN, a takeoff weight of 1500 kg, a diameter of 0.38 m and a length of 11.50 m.

 

[JAL3]

Centuri Astrobee 350 (KC-5 or #5065) Basic Information.

Centuri Engineering

MODEL NAME: Astobee 350 Also known as: Aerobee 350

NUMBER: KC-5 or #5065

Introduced: 1965
Final Year: 1975
Designer:

Type: Scale
Motor Mount: 1x18mm
Recovery: Parachute
Stages: 1
Length: 16.5"
Diameter: 1"
Span:
Weight: 1.1 oz

Mfg. Description: High altitude, scale, operating model of the 50 ft. solid propellant, upper atmosphere research vehicle. Terrific model for both beginner and advanced rocketeer. Upon ignition, the Astobee 350 streaks hundreds of feet into the sky, and returns by multi-color parachute, ready for another flight. This rocket may be multi-staged with the addition of the Booster Kit shown on page 7. (Centuri 1965 Calalog)

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High altitude, scale, operating model of the 50 ft. solid propellant, upper atmosphere research vehicle. Terrific model for both beginner and advanced rocketeer. Upon ignition, the Astobee 350 streaks hundreds of feet into the sky, and returns by multi-color parachute, ready for another flight. (Centuri 1967 Calalog)

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1968 Catalog text identical to 1967 Catalog

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A real flying, high altitude scale model of the 50 ft. tall solid propellant rocket used to research the atmosphere. Terrific for both beginning and advanced rocketeer. Upon ignition, the Astrobee 350 streaks hundreds of feet skywards and returns safely by two color parachute, ready to load up with a new engine and fly again and again. (Centuri 1969 Calalog)

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A real high flying scale model of the sounding rocket used to research the atmosphere. The AEROBEE 350 streaks hundreds of feet skyward and returns gently on a two color parachute. (Centuri 1971 Catalog)

EDITORIAL NOTE: In researching this model, I ran into a stumbling block in that the name changed from “Astrobee” to “Aerobee” but maintained the same product ID. Carl McLawhorn of Semroc Astronautics was kind enough to clear up my confusion as to the difference, if any, between these two products. What follows are portions of two posts he made at Ye Olde Rocket Forum to explain the matter. Note that when he says “our” Astrobee, he is referring to the Semroc product, a clone of the Centuri rocket, itself a scale figment of the imagination.

Post 1: The Centuri Astrobee 350 changed over the years. There never was an Astrobee 350 in real life that resembled the early Centuri model. Someone must have noticed around 1970 and changed the name to Aerobee 350, except it did not look like that either.

Post 2: It has taken a while to research this. Our Astrobee 350, in Peter Alway’s words, is a " 1:1 scale model of a Centuri scale model of a non-existant rocket." Even though G. Harry [Stine] drew the plans for an Astrobee-250 and Astrobee-350, Peter was unable to find anything that was ever produced that matched the plans. I think Centuri realized that as well, because between the 1969 catalog and 1971 catalog, they renamed it the Aerobee 350, but it was not even close to the actual Aerobee 350, which would have had the main body tube extended from 10.5" to 17.5" and increased the fin size even more. The conduits were added to make it closer.

Advertising Liveries​

1965 Catalog

1967 Catalog

1968 Catalog

1969 Catalog

1971 Catalog

Face Card(s)​

Instruction Header(s)​

First post in this thread featuring this rocket.

See Also: LINKS
EMRR
RocketReviews
Mfg. Page


If you have any additional information on this rocket and/or catalog photos please let us know.

 

[JAL3]

bump for editing

 

[JAL3]

Yank Astrobee D (2") Basic Information.

Yank Enterprises

MODEL NAME: Astrobee D (2") Also known as:

NUMBER:

Introduced:
Final Year:
Designer:

Type: Scale
Motor Mount: 1x29mm
Recovery: Parachute
Stages: 1
Length: 54"
Diameter: 2"
Span:
Weight: 20 oz

Mfg. Description:

Advertising Liveries​

2000 Web Ad

Face Card(s)​

Instruction Header(s)​

First post in this thread featuring this rocket.

See Also: LINKS
EMRR
RocketReviews
Mfg. Page


If you have any additional information on this rocket and/or catalog photos please let us know.

 

[JAL3]

AeroTech Astrobee D (#89015) Basic Information.

AeroTech Consumer Aerospace

MODEL NAME: Astrobee D Also known as:

NUMBER: #89015

Introduced: 1989
Final Year:
Designer: Dan Meyer, Marc McReynolds

Type: Scale
Motor Mount: 1x29mm
Recovery: Parachute
Stages: 1
Length: 68"/173 cm
Diameter: 2.6"/6.7 cm
Span:
Weight: 28oz/790gms

Mfg. Description: The largest rocket in the AeroTech line - nearly 6 feet tall! This scale model is almost one-half the size of the real sounding rocket. Impressive flights! Molded fins have beautiful precision airfoils. Detailed blueprint. (AeroTech 1990 Catalog)

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This is the rocket you've been waiting for. Our phone has been ringing off the hook with people calling to make sure we bring out "The D". Nearly 6 feet tall, this scale model is almost one half the size of the real sounding rocket. The D is impressive -- on the pad and in flight. Molded plastic fins have beautiful precision scale airfoils. Comes with a detailed blueprint. (Aerotech 1992 Catalog)

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This is the rocket you've been waiting for. Nearly 6 feet tall, this scale model is almost one-half the size of the real sounding rocket. The D is impressive--on the pad and in flight. Molded plastic fins have beautiful precision scale airfoils. Comes with a detailed blueprint. (AeroTech 2013 Web Ad)

Advertising Liveries​

1990 Catalog

1992 Catalog

2013 Web Ad

Face Card(s)​

Instruction Header(s)​

First post in this thread featuring this rocket.

See Also:
TRF Build Threads

TRF Applicable Threads
Chute Packing

LINKS
EMRR
RocketReviews
Mfg. Page


If you have any additional information on this rocket and/or catalog photos please let us know.

 

[JAL3]

Enertek Astrobee 1500 (#8821) Basic Information.

Enertek

MODEL NAME: Astrobee 1500 Also known as:

NUMBER: #8821

Introduced: 1988
Final Year:
Designer: Marc McReynolds

Type: Scale
Motor Mount:
Recovery: Parachute
Stages: 1
Length: 46.5"
Diameter: 3.5"
Span:
Weight: 20 oz

Mfg. Description: The actual Astrobee 1500 is one of NASA's largest sounding rockets, capable of boosting a one hundred pound scientific payload to an altitude of 1500 miles. This highly detailed 1:8.86 replica features many plastic molded details. The precise detail and contrasting markings will draw praise and sighs of envy from all viewers of this kit. The realistic slow liftoff and arrow straight flight to peak altitude, is capped off by safe recovery on its big colorful fabric parachute.

A must for every scale collection! (Enertek 1989 Catalog)

Advertising Liveries​

1989 Catalog

Face Card(s)​

Instruction Header(s)​

First post in this thread featuring this rocket.

See Also:
TRF Build Threads

TRF Applicable Threads

LINKS
EMRR
RocketReviews
Mfg. Page


If you have any additional information on this rocket and/or catalog photos please let us know.

 

[gdjsky01]

My scratch built Astrobee-D is another one of those rockets I just love the lines of. And on a rail waiting to be launched you can almost believe it's the really thing. Almost. :grin:

Installed was something a little different... a CTI G54RL. A full G (159ns) with a 3 second or so burn. I believe it is called a moonburner. The central hole isn't, central that is. It's offset. And it makes even the teenie tiny e-match they supply a PITA to get in. I wound up unscrewing the closure, removing the nozzle, putting in the match, then threading the nozzle and closure over the lead. All that mishegoss only to misfire (which with CTI is REALLY REALLY rare). I installed a self-dipped Magnelite (doing the whoel mishegoss all over again) and we were off.

I really blew the focus on this launch (I manually focus for many of these photos). It's not worth posting here.
But I was lucky! Another attendee caught it nicely from another angle

​

So this was a dual deploy flight to 1100' (335m) according to the AltAcc. (Seems a tad low)... The deal was this: I had a 12v lamp attached (via some leads) to the drogue channel, and real charge attached to the main. This puts the AltAcc in dual deploy mode. The idea was blow it apart at apogee using the 7 second delay I gave the G54. That worked just fine. Then deploy from the front compartment using 3/4 of gram of BP. What is the real rocketeer credo? That's right. Need 3/4? ADD 50% you numskull!!! Blow it out or blow it up. :bangpan::bangpan::bangpan::bangpan::bangpan::bangpan:

Anyway I was lucky. It fell flat NO damage - cept my pride.

 

[Fishhead]

Semroc Astrobee 350