Trouble w/ Estes Echostar

[prowlerguy]

I have begun construction of my Echostar, and I have encountered a problem. By my measurements, the booster body tube is .25" too long. If I make no changes, the booster engine will recess into the MMT. This is only my second 2 stage, and the first time I have found such a blatant problem with any kit. I am unsure how to proceed, and so I ask you: Would your advice to me be:

a) Remeasure, rookie. I have built the kit and there is no problem.
b) Go with it. It's only .25".
c) Move the engine block in the sustainer stage back .25"
d) Mount the MMT in the booster .25" forward.
e) Cut a .25" spacer from an expended engine and place that between the two engines.
f) Cut .25" off of the booster body tube.

Thanks for any help you can give me.

 

[Stymye]

I checked mine and the booster motor is flush with the end of the booster tube,when both motors are installed and butted together

I would move the block in the sustainer ,If you change the booster motor location the fincan "might" not tumble anymore but rather come down gliding or too fast

I vote for (c)

 

[prowlerguy]

Thanks for the answer. Two quick questions.

How long is your booster's body tube? Mine is 3.25"

How far does the engine extend from the MMT in your sustainer? My directions indicate it should be .25"

Thanks again.

 

[Stymye]

The booster measures 3.25"

the the sustainer motor tube is flush with the aft end of the sustainer and the motor extends 1/2" beyond the aft end

the only problem I remember having was
I had to trim a little off the booster coupler to allow clearence for the glue fillet inside the sustainer.

 

[prowlerguy]

Thank you. You've been very helpful.

 

[Stymye]

glad I could help !

Heres a pic of mine

 

[cls]

we had the same experience with two Echostars. don't sweat about it, it will fly just fine and I think the posts already touched on the solution: 1) trim the coupler so the booster top fits flush with the sustainer bottom; 2) move the sustainer thrust ring aft so the motor doesn't go in as far as indicated in the plans.

our first one had the booster motor recessed in to the booster body by perhaps 1/2" and it flew just fine.



put a glow-stick in the payload section and have a night launch!!

one fellow even painted his Echostar with glow-in-the-dark paint, that was pretty awesome.

 

[firemanup]

Here's a couple we did, first one got broken in the house before it even flew so we just had to do another, these things fly great two staged.


<img src="https://members.aol.com/rocketcollector/images/echostar2.jpg">

 

[Navajo]

I would leave it the way it is...mine did the same thing too. Mine flew fine on a C60 & C67 combo. It went ballistic. The booster stage and sustainer both came down perfectly within 40 feet of the launch site. I figure it hit about 1300 feet...!

Unfortunately for me I lost my payload tube and nosecone. It just blew off leaving behind only the sleeve.

I hope Estes send out spare parts....otherwise I will have to buy another Echostar. I suppose it would be ok to have a spare booster and sustainer in any case.

Here is a pic of my Echostar before the launch...by the way i hated the Estes scheme so went all white instead...

 

[Navajo]

and here is what it looked like after the launch...

 

[Stymye]

Nice rocket ! ,,worth getting the replacement parts,
Estes will replace them

 

[Blackbird]

i am dissapointed with estes. the echostar is a fantastic rocket but estes failed oto mention one major point. the payload section can easily pop off during the ejection of the parachute. the instructions should include a more secure way of fastening the payload section to the rest of the rocket.

in my opinion this is just a poor show by estes industries!!

 

[Navajo]

Thanks Stymye...I have written a letter to Estes...it will probably take a couple of weeks...after all it has to get from Australia to the USA and back again.

Cant wait to get the parts and fly it again.

 

[cls]

Blackbird, put some cellophane tape around the nose cone and payload tube. that will hold it.

if the fit were too tight then it would wear out quicker when you put in and take out payloads.

 

[powderburner]

Don't get me wrong, cls has a very good idea here to use some tape to secure the NC/payload section

This is the same way we used to secure the two halves of an egg capsule.

The only problem is that when you peel the tape off you risk taking the paint with it. We used to put a strip of cellophane on both sides of the joint-----this part would stay on the rocket for good. When assembled, these two strips would meet edge-to-edge. The 'field joint' tape would then be taped over the joint and could be taken off after the flight without damaging the finish.