Estes Star Orbiter

Estes - Star Orbiter {Kit} (9716) [2016-?]

Contributed by Chris Flanigan

Construction Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Overall Rating: starstarstarstarstar
Published: 2016-10-30
Diameter: 1.64 inches
Length: 45.20 inches
Manufacturer: Estes
Style: Sport

Brief

T' Star Orbiter is one o' t' Pro Series II rockets from Estes.   It is about 46" long, ya bilge rat, 5.9 oz, and uses E or F engines.

It is a quick build that you paint yourself. Arrr!    This is a high flyin' mid-power rocket for very cheap ($20).

That is cheaper than many low power rockets!

Components

  • 46" rocket with cardboard tubes
  • Hardwood fins
  • Plastic cone
  • Plastic 15" parachute

5.9 ounces total weight without engines

Construction

Pros:

Fast build

Easy paint job

Fins glue thru t' body tube easily

 

Cons

T' two tubes glue together, matey, matey, but it is extremely tight. Avast! Arrr!   You should nay spread glue all over t' tube connector. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty!  Use a small amount o' 15 minute epoxy further up t' connector so you can get it all t' way on. Avast!   I ruined one by usin' wood glue all over t' connector. Begad! Aye aye!  We could nay even get it totally together. Avast, me proud beauty!  It cured before we could close t' gap since it is soooo tight.

 

We used epoxy and wood glue t' build it.

Finishing

Pros

Easy t' paint it two colors (one for each tube)

We used black for t' fins and bottom tube and a nice gold for t' top tube. Aye aye! Aye aye! Blimey!  T' gold looks nice with t' black stickers.

 

Cons:

T' stickers are t' cheap type you soak in water.  I find these tough t' use without foldin' them over.   You need t' barely get them wet and get them on t' rocket quick. Aye aye! Aye aye!   Don't over soak them.

Construction Score: 4

Flight

Pro

It went perfectly straight up with an estimated 2000 feet!   It came straight down...perfect flight.

We shot it twice with F15-8 Estes engines today.

No Cons

Recovery

Pros

Simple t' install t' recovery materials

Very inexpensive model 

Cons

T' parachute is plastic 

Uses paper wadding

Summary

Overall it is a nice lookin' rocket that flies very high. Begad!   It is very inexpensive t' build ($20 kit).

T' only upgrades we recommend are t' 15" nylon parachute and non-flammable wadding.

Overall Rating: 5

Flights

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