Estes Excelsior Stellar Transport

Estes - Excelsior Stellar Transport {Kit} [?-?]

Contributed by Glenn Roth

Manufacturer: Estes
(Contributed - by Glenn Roth - 01/27/09)

StandingBrief:
I combined components of two rockets for my creation I call: Excelsior Stellar Transport. What's unique about Excelsior is made from a Quest Quasar and Estes Cosmic Cobra. It has a "flow thru" body with motor and parachute in the outer pod.

After much configuration, finally got it to fly to about 100ft, then it went unstable.

Construction:
Used regular tools, including razor knife. May use some of the decals that came w/kits.

Has 8 fins, motor mount; Kevlar® and elastic shock cord hooked to the motor mount. No nose cone "per se". Very unique looking with the central opening all the way thru. (kind of like "ram air.")

Cut up one body tube into 3 pieces and left the other tube full length.

Had to slit bottom of main BT for fin assembly. Then cut the remaining body tube in 1/2 and the remaining 1/2 into two pieces.

Put on "original" fin assembly from Cosmic Cobra.

I was a little concerned about it being top heavy, but decided I can correct by adding spent motors in lower spare BT's.

Finishing:
Not to much finishing required since the kits came pre-finished.

On PadFlight:
Planned on going with a B6-4 for the first time, then C6-5. Shock cord in two pieces: Kevlar® and elastic, tied to a 12" chute.

First flight was on a C6-5: did fly to about 100+ ft on C6-5. Too much delay.

Recovery:
Need bigger motor and shorter delay.

Summary:
Assembly pretty easy but, highly unstable after 100ft.

PROS: Sharp looking, unique.

Cons: becomes unstable after 100ft

Flights

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