Brief:
This rocket is bein' reviewed by Dale Marshall and Tim Reidy. Well, blow me down! Tim has more buildin' experience so his comments are listed first.

Tim:
When I saw t' list o' kits that Estes be re-releasin' as part o' its Classic Series, I was delighted t' see t' Satellite Interceptor on t' list. Ahoy! It had been on me list o' kits t' clone, and now Estes had saved me t' work.

Dale:
Well I took a long hiatus from rocket building, so this one would be new for me. Ya scallywag! I have t' “younger brother” o' this kit, matey, matey, t' Crossbow SST, and it was a fun one t' build and fly. I was lookin' forward t' gettin' this one done.

Construction:
Tim:
Upon openin' and examinin' t' kit, arrr, shiver me timbers, I saw it was just like t' original, me bucko, me bucko, with a couple o' exceptions. Arrr! Begad! Since thar are no molded plastic parts, matey, ya bilge rat, matey, thar be no tail cone in t' new kit, me bucko, arrr, ya bilge rat, although a centerin' rin' and piece o' card stock would fix that. T' balsa nose cone means a little more work t' finish t' kit, but it is well worth it t' ensure t' new generation o' modelers keeps up with the fundamentals. Ya scallywag!

Dale:
Yea, I be a little surprised t' find a balsa nosecone in this one. Blimey! I have a larger version o' this nosecone in plastic and it looks really nice. I be pleased with t' packagin' o' t' kit, with all o' t' smaller pieces in a separate plastic bag.

Tim:
So it was time t' start building. Ahoy! Assembly starts with fine sandin' t' laser-cut fins while still attached t' t' balsa sheet. A good technique t' save some finish sandin' later. Blimey! You then remove t' fins from t' scrap balsa, arrr, square t' root edges and round t' leadin' edges. Ya scallywag! No problem there. Begad! T' engine mount is next. Begad! It is straight forward, except that I don't care for t' new Estes engine hook, ya bilge rat, so I omit that and opt t' friction fit later.

Dale:
I actually didn’t start with t' fins, me bucko, shiver me timbers, optin' t' build t' engine mount first t' let it dry while I did some other work. Aye aye! Avast, me proud beauty! I did include t' engine hook because I don’t have a lot o' luck friction-fittin' engines. Ya scallywag! I was very disappointed in t' quality o' t' balsa fins in me kit. Aye aye! It was rough and took a LOT o' sandin' t' resemble anythin' near smooth. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! This be t' first time I’ve run into this poor quality o' balsa in any kit from any manufacturer.

Tim:
Next step is t' cut t' tube markin' guide from t' instructions and mark the tube. Avast! I still use t' door frame method as illustrated. Ahoy! I marked t' tube, matey, extended t' lines and dutifully labeled them.

Dale:
Be sure t' do all that after you fill t' spirals with filler and sand it down. Aye aye! Nay that I’m talkin' from experience or anything.

Tim:
Time t' attach t' fins. Here I ran into me first issue with t' new version. You first attach t' wings, arrr, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, which end up bein' perpendicular t' t' vertical and sub fins. Avast, me proud beauty! After t' wings come the stabilizers. Per t' markin' guide and t' illustration in t' instruction, t' stabilizers are attached on t' line above t' wings and angled down. Nowhere does it mention that it would be a good idea t' sand t' root edges o' the stabilizers at an angle t' get a good glue joint with t' body tube. I've looked at t' instruction for t' original Satellite Interceptor, and t' setup be a little better. Well, blow me down! T' stabilizers were perpendicular t' t' vertical fins, and t' wings were angled down, although below t' stabilizers, shiver me timbers, me hearties, so they still came straight out o' t' body tube. Arrr! A much easier and stronger joint. Begad! I added t' vertical and sub fins, arrr, and finished with t' win' tubes and dowels t' make it look cool.

Dale:
I noticed t' same thin' with t' aft fins – but nay until I had tried gluin' them on stock first. Ya scallywag! Oops. Ahoy! Had t' wipe off t' glue, matey, bevel t' fins, me bucko, and then attach them again. Well, blow me down! Begad! One thin' I did differently (by mistake, actually) was t' mount t' lower fin pointin' backwards towards t' tail in t' same direction as t' upper tail fin. Ahoy! Aye aye! I like t' way it looks. Arrr! Begad! T' support t' fins I used some o' me small paint bottles which turned out t' be t' perfect size t' make t' angle correct. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! I used those bottles t' support t' rocket as I glued on each of t' fins and t' win' tubes.

Tim:
After installin' t' last few steps involve addin' t' engine mount, launch lug and shock cord, ya bilge rat, as well as t' nose cone. Aye aye! I still prefer sewin' elastic t' t' bare rubber shock cord Estes returned t' a few years ago, me bucko, so I substituted a longer piece o' that. Avast! Engine mount and launch lug went on as directed. Aye aye! Then I came t' t' nose cone. Ahoy! I've built a fair number o' Estes kits and cloned many more with balsa cones. Avast, me proud beauty! We all know thar are times you get balsa that seems as hard as oak and other times it is like warm butter. Begad! You are directed t' screw in t' screw eye and go on your merry way. Ahoy! Old time kits always had you take it back out and squirt glue in t' give t' eye a better setting. My son just built t' Mini Max, and t' eye isn't glued on that one either. Well, blow me down! Personally I think it's an oversight that Estes should correct, but maybe it is by design. Well, blow me down! I still opted for t' glue.

Dale:
I, matey, too, matey, did t' "glue t' screw eye in t' nosecone bit". I find myself doin' that on every kit now. Begad! My nosecone had a pretty good consistency, me bucko, but I found it difficult t' get the screw eye t' go in straight. I used t' stock rubber band and tri-fold mount and parachute.

Finishing:
Tim:
On t' finishing. Ahoy! I prefer the smooth look and strength o' epoxy fillets, matey, so I reinforced me fins with some 5 minute epoxy, me bucko, me bucko, me hearties, and finished t' fine sandin' o' t' nose cone and fins. Arrr! I used thinned out Elmer's wood filler t' finish all t' balsa, matey, and applied 2 coats o' Krylon white primer, me hearties, sandin' after each coat. Ahoy! Well, blow me down! I finished with 2 light coats o' Krylon semi-gloss white. Begad! T' decals are sharp, so I was careful and took me time applyin' them. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! They are pretty thin, so I can see where they might tear easily if nay careful. Aye aye! Two light coats o' Krylon clear acrylic, shiver me timbers, and I be done.

Dale:
I haven’t done t' epoxy fillets before but I have read about them so I may try that on me next build. Begad! Ya scallywag! I used two coats o' gray primer (three on t' fins) t' get a pretty smooth finish. Well, blow me down! I still have t' work on me fin-fillin' techniques. I don’t like t' Krylon white, matey, but that’s all I had t' work with so that’s what I used. This time I did it without any runs in t' paint. I saved t' many decals until after launching. Ahoy! This kit comes with a LOT o' really nice decals!

Tim:
Build 4 out o' 5 due t' t' angled stabilizers and nay anchorin' t' eye in t' nose cone.

Dale:
Agreed. Aye aye! I think me rough fin balsa was an anomaly so I won’t din' Estes for that even though it should have been caught in quality control.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
Tim:
I had a beautiful calm evenin' on a nice grassy soccer field for t' maiden launch. Ya scallywag! Blimey! I prepped with a B6-4 and let 'er rip. I'm horrible at judgin' altitude, ya bilge rat, so let's just say it went straight up, ya bilge rat, plenty high. Aye aye! Blimey! I'm glad Estes replaced t' plain white parachute with plain red ones now. Avast! Blimey! They are much easier t' see against a cloudy sky. Begad! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! It came down softly with no damage. Avast! Blimey! Since t' rocket is light, matey, and thar was no wind, ya bilge rat, I decided t' try it on an A8-3 even though nay on t' recommended list. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! It be a recommended motor on the original, so I thought it should do just fine. Begad! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! I was right. Begad! Blimey! Again it flew straight and true, shiver me timbers, and returned safely.

Flight 5 out o' 5. Well, blow me down!

Dale:
Unfortunately I didn’t have a calm day t' fly me SI. Avast! Blimey! Winds were reasonably consistent, mostly about 5-10 MPH with occasional gusts (blew over me launch pad twice with a heavier rocket on the pad). Arrr! Avast! Because o' t' winds, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, arrr, and t' local RC plane club flyin' on t' field at the same time, I opted for t' A8-3 for t' first flight. Avast, me proud beauty! I don’t have a large selection o' engines right now because o' many recent launches. Ahoy! T' first flight was straight up for about 150 feet, I think, arrr, ya bilge rat, arrr, nay even arcin' into t' wind all that much. Avast, me proud beauty! Beautiful flight and t' ‘chute popped just after apogee. Ya scallywag! It came down pretty fast, though, probably because o' t' wind, shiver me timbers, and popped one o' t' aft fins when it hit t' hard ground. A little Gorilla Glue and t' SI was ready t' fly again. Ya scallywag! This time I used a B6-4 like Tim did, and t' flight was amazing! Much higher and still straight, ya bilge rat, and still a reasonably fast descent and that darn fin popped loose again. Aye aye! Ahoy! I found out why though – my parachute be slightly melted. Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! I must nay have put enough waddin' in. Begad! Oh well. Avast, me proud beauty! Since I don’t have a spare ‘chute, I unfolded it as best as I could (there are now several spill holes in t' ‘chute), stuffed some more waddin' in, me hearties, and set it up on another B6-4. Arrr! Avast! T' wind was just too strong t' try a C engine. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! T' last flight was just like t' second one, arrr, except this time t' 4-second delay was too much and t' ‘chute got tangled in t' fins and t' whole thin' came down horizontally… which be a good thin' because t' rocket body created enough drag to brin' it down softly even though t' ‘chute was full o' holes.

Flight 4.5 out o' 5 due t' a possibly undersized parachute.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
Tim:
Overall impressions: I already have t' Satellite Interceptor's big and little brothers, namely t' S.W.A.T. Ya scallywag! and Crossbow SST, matey, me bucko, so t' SI is a fine addition t' my collection. Ya scallywag! Thanks Estes, me hearties, and keep bringin' back t' Classics.

Dale:
Overall impressions: I agree with Tim that this is a great addition t' the fleet. Begad! I’m sure I’ll fly it many times in t' future once I replace t' parachute with somethin' a little bit larger. I’d really like t' try it on a C6!

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5