Estes - SS2K

Brief:
While building the Estes SpaceShipOne, I encountered a problem when the plastic cement recommended by the manufacturer melted and deformed the tail cone. To their credit, and typical of their customer service, Estes sent me a replacement model immediately after I shared with them what had occurred.

Looking at the undamaged parts from the original kit, I decided that I would use them to create a variation on the original. This one would be longer and have a larger motor mount. I dubbed it the SpaceShip2000, or SS2K.

Modifications:
This build wasn’t too complicated. I began with the motor mount and glued it into the lower tube. The BT was marked for two sets of fins and a launch lug. I’ve learned the hard way how important it is to mark a narrower lower tube first before gluing it into a larger diameter upper tube. Once it was marked the centering rings were attached and the lower tube was glued into the upper tube.

Next I made the cardstock transition and attached it. I’ve developed the habit of gluing the transition together with a glue stick and immediately putting it on the rocket, thereby helping the lower portion to maintain its shape. I also wrap cardstock around the upper tube, tape it together, and slide it over where the tube and transition meet. This helps the upper end of the transition dry in the correct shape as well.

The fins were put together according to the instructions except for the beveling of the root edge – I wasn’t interested in attaching them to the body tube at an angle. I was worried that the amount of fin extending past the end of the rocket combined with the unique nature of the same would make the fins susceptible to damage but they have held up fine.

Knowing this would likely go fairly high, I painted it black for visibility’s sake. Both the primer and spray paint came from Wal-Mart. I didn’t put any of the decals on it because I didn’t want to take the time to do so on a rocket that may or may not be stable and likely would be lost because of the motors I intended to use.

Construction:
My primary components were:

• BT, PNC, and balsa fins from the SS1 kit
• 29mm BT – 11”
• Cardstock transition
• BT-50 – 3” for motor mount
• 2 sets of cardstock centering rings
• ¼” launch lug and balsa standoff
• Elastic shock cord
• Hartle Engineering parachute

Flight:
This rocket has flown numerous times on both D12-5’s and E9-8’s. It has flown and recovered beautifully every time. It comes down nicely under an 18” Hartle Engineering chute.

Summary:
This is one of my favorite rockets in my fleet. It was fun to build and flies really well. Its distinctive look causes people to pay attention when it comes out and flies. For those who may have one of these in their stash or find it on clearance somewhere, this is a great modification.

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