Brief:
Many parts o' t' new NASA Constellation program has already been modeled. Arrr! In today's market, it is difficult t' find a manned space subject that is nay already been produced.

After research, I was nay able t' find a current model o' t' new Orion ATB. Ahoy! If you think it looks like a Little Joe, me hearties, ya bilge rat, you're right! This rocket will be used in t' same manner as t' Little Joes were.

Construction:
After inventoryin' me available parts, me hearties, I eyed a spare Estes Gauchito kit. Avast! Begad! Blimey! After tearin' it open, me bucko, I discovered that I could use most o' this kit as a basis for t' Orion ATB.

Doin' some math showed that a model would be 1:120 scale. Aye aye! This be determined by usin' me method o' importin' a photo into AutoCAD and creatin' a scaled, ya bilge rat, arrr, dimensioned drawing. Arrr!

I haven't used RockSim in several years. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! I downloaded t' latest demo and started insertin' t' parts.

Overall, I feel that I came up with a satisfactory model with nay much work. I'm sure an experienced used could overcome me issues.

First, t' wood dowel needed t' continue through t' transition. Aye aye! Blimey! I couldn't figure out how t' do this.

Second, ya bilge rat, t' booster rocket nozzles are conical. Aye aye! Ahoy! I couldn't find a good way t' model them.

Basic low power construction techniques were used. T' exception be t' use o' plexiglass for t' fins.

T' booster nozzles were built by wrappin' paper around a pen tip. Ahoy! T' paper be then soaked with CA. After drying, shiver me timbers, arrr, they were cut t' size and mounted.

A ¼" hole was drilled in t' tip o' t' capsule. Well, blow me down! T' wood dowel continued down t' t' base o' the cone and glued in t' recess design for t' shock cord. Well, blow me down! Blimey! This kept t' dowel centered and secure.

Finishing:
T' clear fins were masked and a spray coat o' white be applied. Logos o' NASA, Space development and Testing, me bucko, matey, and Orbital were found on t' web, and sized.

T' logos were simply glued onto t' body. Ya scallywag! Minor details were also added on t' capsule.

PROs o' t' design: Very easy t' build if you have a spare Gauchito kit lyin' around!

CONs: T' clear fins detract from t' actual model.

Flight and Recovery:
T' two test flights o' t' orion were unsuccessful. These were on A10-3T's. Begad! However, shiver me timbers, thar just wasn't enough umph t' get it up & stable. Avast! I ended up usin' some plexiglass for t' four fins. Aye aye! In hind site, ya bilge rat, this probably added tail weight. Avast! So unless I rebuild, me bucko, this one is a shelf queen.