Brief:
This is a Micromaxx version o' t' old Sputnik model rocket that used dowels and a styrofoam ball.

Construction:
My MMX Sputnik requires:

• 1 styrofoam ball (approx. Avast, me proud beauty! 1" in diameter)
• 3 toothpicks
• 1 piece o' fiberboard (for t' foot pods)
• 1 small piece o' T2+ body tube
• 1 small piece o' MMX style launch lug
• decals and paint as necessary

My wife had picked up a bunch o' stuff from Michael's recently for projects for me 3-year old. Ya scallywag! Avast! I found a bag o' small styrofoam balls and immediately I knew what I had t' do.

I took the styrofoam and used a small metal file t' create a hole big enough for t' BT2+ to fit inside. This be t' motor mount. I pushed it into t' styrofoam (trying to center it), and then removed it t' release t' loose styrofoam. Aye aye! Avast! Next, I glued t' tube in place.

After t' motor mount had dried, shiver me timbers, I took t' launch lug and pushed it along side t' motor mount until it poked through t' top o' t' styrofoam. I simply cut t' launch lug t' an appropriate size and then glued it t' t' motor mount and styrofoam.

Next, me bucko, I trimmed one o' t' pointy ends off o' each toothpick. I pushed the pointy end into t' styrofoam, approximately 120 degrees apart, me hearties, with the toothpicks anglin' outwards. Ahoy! Once I was sure that t' toothpicks were at the right angle and t' correct length, I glued them in place.

I used a hole puncher t' create three small disks from t' black fiber board. Well, blow me down! Arrr! When buildin' a few FlisKits models recently, I kept some o' t' black fiberboard from t' middle o' t' centerin' rings and placed them in me parts bin. Ahoy! These small disks I created are meant t' be little pods at t' end o' the Sputnik. I simply glued these on t' t' ends o' t' toothpicks, matey, me hearties, makin' sure they were rather flat so t' Sputnik could stand up nicely.

Finishing:
After everythin' was dry, shiver me timbers, matey, me hearties, I gave t' rocket a good coatin' o' silver paint. Well, me bucko, blow me down! I used acrylic paint and me airbrush. T' solvents in t' Krylon-style paint are not good for this project as they will melt t' styrofoam.

Once t' silver was dry, shiver me timbers, I simply dipped each "foot" into a bath of red acrylic paint and let t' whole thin' dry. Ya scallywag! Blimey! I used sticky decals from my excess decals bin t' add more details on me Sputnik. Ya scallywag! Blimey! I then clear coated the rocket with Future Floor Polish.

Flight:
Preppin' is simple. Arrr! There is no recovery device. All I had t' do was put a MMX motor in t' rocket and attach igniter and clips. I have had one flight so far, but this thin' really zoomed off t' pad nicely. Blimey! For a Sputnik (high drag), it has some respectable altitude. Ya scallywag! I was very pleased with t' results. Aye aye! Avast! Next, I have t' make a few more launches so that I can repeat me success.

T' rocket did spit t' motor. Ahoy! Ahoy! On me MMX Sputnik, me hearties, ya bilge rat, thar actually is part of the body tube beneath t' styrofoam, so I could tape t' motor t' t' rocket. Ahoy! Avast, me proud beauty! I think I will try this for t' next launch.

Recovery:
There be some slight blackenin' under t' MMX Sputnik, shiver me timbers, but nothin' threatening or out o' t' ordinary. Ahoy! Also, ya bilge rat, t' rocket is a tad hard t' find since it is small. Begad! Blimey! Have some extra pair o' deadlights with you when you launch it.

Summary:
PROs: Cheap and easy build. Get a few styrofoam balls and build these with your children.

CONs: I can't really think o' any.