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Estes - Gemini DC (2136) [1997-2005]

Manufacturer:Estes
Diameter:0.9760 inches
Skill Level:2
Style:Sport
Construction Rating:
Flight Rating:
Overall Rating:

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Estes Gemini DC

Brief:
The Estes Gemini DC is dual parachute, lawn dart ready single stage rocket with two side pods housing the chutes. It uses a 1/8 inch launch lug and has a single 18mm motor mount. The Gemini DC has four swept back balsa fins.

Construction:
The components used in this rocket are top quality. The parts list is:

  • 1 BT-50 main body tube, slotted with vent holes
  • 1 two-piece NC-50 nose cone
  • 2 BT-20 side pods with vent holes
  • 2 NC-20 nose cones
  • 2 50-20 centering rings
  • 1 18mm motor mount tube
  • 1 mylar ring
  • 1 engine hook
  • 1 1/8 inch launch lug
  • 1 1/4 inch vent tube
  • 2 rubber shock cords
  • 2 12 inch parachutes
  • 4 balsa fins

The instructions were very easy to follow and all the parts fit together easily. The main body tube had four slots with two holes perpendicular to each other in between two of the fin slots. The first step was to make the standard Estes motor mount, which is slitting the motor mount tube, putting on the hook, sliding on the mylar ring, and then attaching the centering rings. This assembly slides into the back of the rocket so the end of the motor tube is even with the aft end of the body tube. Next, all four fins were glued in and fillets were added. Then, a template was used to find launch lug position and to make the lines to glue on the side pods. The only fit problem was with the vent tubes. This required the cutting of an Estes 1/4 inch launch lug for venting the gasses of the motor's ejection charge to the side pods. The vent tube is a little too wide to fit through the hole, so they required some sanding. Once I thought the glue dried, I put some glue on the side and slid the vent into the hole in the side pod. The glue wasn't dry, so the vent was pushed slightly into the main body. This happened on both sides. Then, I glued in all of the nose cones and attached the shock cords to the inside of the side pods. The parachutes were then tied to the end of the shock cords.

Finishing:
I didn't use any special finishing techniques, just prime and paint. I painted mine blue and sprayed orange over it so the blue is visible through the orange.

Construction Rating: 3 out of 5

Flight:
I have not had one successful flight with this rocket. I have flown it on twice on B4-4s and once on a C6-5. All three flights went straight and fast with a sudden jump off the pad.

Recovery:
The boost and coast phases were great, but the recovery is horrible. Sometimes the ejection gasses bypassed both chutes and sometimes only one chute comes out but doesn't open because it was wrapped up so tightly to fit inside the tube. Both situations caused the rocket to lawn dart. My favorite flight was when the ejection charge blew the main nose cone off and what a surprise! It lawn darted and core sampled.

Flight Rating: 1 out of 5

Summary:
This is not a good rocket. The parts are good quality but make sure the chutes are nice and loose and that the nose cones are glued in securely. There is a very small chance of a successful recovery.

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5

    Flight Log

    DateRocket NameMotor(s)AltitudeNotes
    1998-10-10David Fergus's Estes Gemini DCB6-2- only one parachute deployed, must be more resistance in one of the chute tubes compared to the...
    1999-09-12Charlie Kazmir's Estes Gemini DCC6-7- I dont reccomend using a c6-7.The extra 2 seconds were fatal to the airframe. The chutes were...
    2000-01-08Casey Smith's Estes Gemini DCC6-7- Nice flight, one paracut got fowled, good landing in the grass. Will try streamers next.
    2000-02-20Mark Patoka's Estes Gemini DCB6-4- First flight after replacing crunched body tube. Finally had both chutes deploy. Perfect.
    2000-04-29David Kneble's Estes Gemini DCB6-4- First flight, rocket descends fine with one 12 chute
    2000-04-29David Fergus's Estes Gemini DCB6-4- again only one chute
    2000-07-10Casey Smith's Estes Gemini DCC6-5- Good boost and good flight. Streamers deployed no problem.
    2000-08-19David Virga's Estes Gemini DCC6-3- Maiden flight. . . Perfect!! Minimal weathercocking, ejection at apogee, both chutes deployed....
    2000-09-16Nick Anderson's Estes Gemini DCB6-2- Great flight. Both Parachutes ejected although only 1 opened. No damage because of through the...
    2000-10-21David Logan's Estes Gemini DCB6-4- Just finished, wanted to fly it before painting. Only one chute opened at apogee, the other about...
    2000-12-14Nick Anderson's Estes Gemini DCB6-4- Launched off estes stock pad. Rocket turned sideways and flew almost a 100 ft the nose darted....
    2001-01-20Chuck Rider's Estes Gemini DCC6-5- One of two chutes tangled - No damage
    2001-02-17Chuck Rider's Estes Gemini DCC6-5- One set of shroud lines rippedEjection tube burned through
    2001-03-25Ed Scientist's Estes Gemini DCB6-2- Started recording at fourth flight.Motor blew through the mount. One chute deployed but didnt...
    2001-03-30Casey Smith's Estes Gemini DCC6-3- Have not flown this one in over a year. Great flight, good deployment of both chutes. Good...
    2001-03-31Ed Scientist's Estes Gemini DCB6-4- Good flight. One of the vents was smashed from the motor mount damage but it still works...
    2001-04-01Ed Scientist's Estes Gemini DCC6-3- WOW! Will this rocket ever die? Motor mount came loose again and nearly lost the engine. Both...
    2001-04-08Ed Scientist's Estes Gemini DCB6-4- Both chutes opened but got tangled around each other. The rocket came down faster and faster and...
    2001-04-14Ed Scientist's Estes Gemini DCC6-3- Closest thing to a good flight this rocket may ever get. One chutes shoud lines singed off but the...
    2001-04-29Ed Scientist's Estes Gemini DCC6-3- Awesome launch at dusk. Went staight as an arrow. Its amazindg I think this rocket will see flight...
    2001-07-08Mark Patoka's Estes Gemini DCC6-3- Straight flight but parachutes didn't open after deploying. Fortunately they provided enough drag...
    2001-07-15Billy Kingdon's Estes Gemini DCC6-5- Paper straws were clogged. Wadding clogged and parachute didn't eject.Completley destroyed nothing...
    2001-07-22Ed Scientist's Estes Gemini DCC6-7- Rocket went 30 feetand started to spin out of control. Slammed the ground ripping both parachute...
    2001-10-20Mark Patoka's Estes Gemini DCC6-3- Chutes tangled, only one opened but landed OK
    2002-01-26MikeyR's Estes Gemini DCB6-4- Nicely done. Good deployment
    2002-03-30Michael Mangieri's Estes Gemini DCB6-4- Good launch, but tipped-over 30° into wind. Parachutes ejected as designed, but rocket was too far...
    2002-04-17MikeyR's Estes Gemini DCB6-4- Good, high flight.
    2002-04-25MikeyR's Estes Gemini DCB6-4- Nice deployment.
    2002-08-01MikeyR's Estes Gemini DCB6-4-
    2002-09-06James Reyome's Estes Gemini DCB6-4- Launch rod was apparently bent, rocket cocked wildly off the pad to south, went into flat spin at...
    2002-09-14James Reyome's Estes Gemini DCC6-5- Excellent soaring flight, both chutes deployed perfectly, drifting not too bad considering the...
    2002-09-29James Reyome's Estes Gemini DCC6-3- Ah, that's MUCH better! Perfect flight this time, dead straight and as high as it's ever flown....
    2002-10-08James Reyome's Estes Gemini DCB6-2- Sweet flight on a B6 for the Gemini, first time it's looked this good on anything besides a C. But...
    2002-10-12James Reyome's Estes Gemini DCB6-2- Both chutes deployed again, only one opened because I'd left the corn starch at home. On...
    2002-11-30Jon Revelle's Estes Gemini DCB6-4- Flew again. Nice takeoff, but one chute didn't open.
    2003-03-08Matt Vennard's Estes Gemini DCB6-4- First flight for the rocket. A little nervous about the recovery system. Good boost off the pad,...
    2003-05-10Lance Alligood's Estes Gemini DCB6-4- Tight fit with both chutes. Raced off the pad & cocked into the wind. I was blown away when BOTH...
    2003-05-28Lance Alligood's Estes Gemini DCB6-4- Cocked into the wind after leaving the pad for a nice, arched flight. Ejection blast burned...
    2003-06-04Mystery Mystery's Estes Gemini DC3xC6-5- I am extremly mad at Estes for giving crappy shock cord mounts because when the parachutes...
    2003-07-04MikeyR's Estes Gemini DCB4-4- Nice flight with both chutes.
    2003-07-18Andy Hawkins's Estes Gemini DCB4-2- I had no problems at all. Parachutes ejected perfectly(both of them). I used the specified amount...
    2003-08-04Lance Alligood's Estes Gemini DCC6-5- First flight since being modified for traditional NC ejection. Great straight high flight but a...
    2003-10-27Jon Revelle's Estes Gemini DCC6-3- Beautiful flight. Went outta sight. Chutes tangled and rocket lawn darted. No damage.
    2003-11-07Mike Kiss's Estes Gemini DCB4-4- god straight flight to about 400ft., good ejection with both chutes out, caught rocket, almost...
    2004-02-14Kyle Hancock's Estes Gemini DCC6-5- Got two chutes!!
    2004-03-07Donald Besaw's Estes Gemini DCB6-4- First flight for this rocket. Took off in a large arc, tumbled and popped the chutes about 2 feet...
    2004-03-11Donald Besaw's Estes Gemini DCC6-3- I'm not sure what happened last time but this time I got a really great flight. Impressive...
    2004-04-03Matt Vennard's Estes Gemini DC3xC6-5- 2nd flight of the day, only one outboard motor lit. Closest to the pad!
    2004-04-03Matt Vennard's Estes Gemini DC3xA8-3- Good flight, with all 3 motors lit. Recovered close with no trouble.
    2004-04-10Kyle Hancock's Estes Gemini DCC6-7- Both chutes ejected, only one chute inflated.
    2004-04-24Kyle Hancock's Estes Gemini DCC6-7- Nearly had a lawn dart. One parachute managed to work free at 100', and the other one never...
    2004-05-16Kyle Hancock's Estes Gemini DCC6-5- Engine nozzle clogged, causing unstable flight at around 75'.
    2004-08-20Alex Jordan's Estes Gemini DCA8-3- Very underpowerd....Went up, stopped going, and fell back down still buring....On the ground, the...
    2004-11-07J Bolduc's Estes Gemini DCC6-3- High flight, both chutes ejected only 1 opened about 20 feet off ground to save rocket from being...
    2004-12-03Donald Besaw's Estes Gemini DCC6-5- Nice flight, arched some during boost. Deployed both chutes without incident. Long walk for...
    2005-04-10Zappacky Anonymous's Estes Gemini DCB6-4- Perfect flight, ejected at estimated 300 ft. Parachutes both ejected same time, but did not open....
    2005-05-30Andy Turits's Estes Gemini DCC6-5- Replaced parachute. Again nice straight boost to about 800 feet. This time, chute separated as...
    2005-05-30Andy Turits's Estes Gemini DCB6-4- Modified to 1 primary chute. Flies nice and straight to about 400 feet. Recovered with hole in the...
    2005-07-03Andy Turits's Estes Gemini DCC6-5- Nice high arcing flight to 800 or so feet. Wrapped chute in wadding and it deployed properly this...
    2005-07-03Andy Turits's Estes Gemini DCB6-4- Slight arcing flight to about 300 feet. Chute didn't quite fully deploy but fluttered down. No...
    2005-07-05Reid Smith's Estes Gemini DCB6-4- Very successful flight straight up except for wind. Packed one chute tight and another loose with...
    2005-09-17David Logan's Estes Gemini DCB6-4- Nice flight. Built for standard recovery, and landed about 50 yards from the pads with a 12 inch...
    2005-09-18William Beggs's Estes Gemini DCB6-4- Great flight and recovery.
    2005-11-03Andrew Grippo's Estes Gemini DCC6-5- A little under powered but still a good flight with both chutes deployed. Damage to crummy Estes...
    2006-01-04Lance Souther's Estes Gemini DCB6-4- Straight flight to around 400 feet, both chutes deployed and open within seconds. Landed less...
    2006-05-14Andrew Scott's Estes Gemini DCC6-5- The third flight was on B6-6.A stable and straight flight Ejection happened way past apogee and I...
    2006-05-14Andrew Scott's Estes Gemini DCC6-5- Second flight was on a C6-5.A fast launch! The rocket went all but out of sight because of the low...
    2006-05-14Andrew Scott's Estes Gemini DCB4-4- First flight was on a B4-4. The rocket move slows off the pad for a nice, stable, and straight...
    2006-09-07Andy Turits's Estes Gemini DCC6-5- Nice ascent, horizontal descent, drifting, drifting....cccrrrzzzzttt! deep in the top of some...
    2006-09-07Andy Turits's Estes Gemini DCC6-5- Added about .5 oz of nose weight and the GDC had its first good flight. Very slight arc to about...
    2007-03-17Tom McCleary's Estes Gemini DCB6-4-
    2007-07-01Chan Stevens's Estes Gemini DCC6-5-
    2011-04-09Ken Tsai's Estes Gemini DC2xB6-0+C6-7- 3 motor cluster

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