Model Rocket Building Blog

Centuri Satellite 62SL Build Part 1 Parts
This is one I drew up on the last cruise. Not much to it, the chorme print decals are what set it apart: BT-5, 2 1/2" long BC-505 Nose Cone from Semroc      equivalent to the Centuri plastic cone used in the kit 3 or 4 dowel fins, your choice, all 1/16"  x&nb ...
[Read More]

Centuri Satellite 62SL Build Part 2 Antenna Mounts
I used a glue stick to adhere the Antenna Mounts to the thick mat board. You can get mat board scraps at most framing stores. Sometime they will give it to you for free. The mat board also makes great centering rings. I used the black print to cut the mat board to size. With a new ...
[Read More]

Centuri Satellite 62SL Build Part 3 Antenna Mounts
To keep the mat board from de-laminating, run a glue bead around the exposed edges. I only had to apply a glue bead to the leading edge (up to the dowel notch) and the trailing edges. Sand down the dried glue bead a bit with 400 grit between the first and second coat of glue. Roll ...
[Read More]

Centuri Satellite 62SL Build Part 4 Antenna Mount Gluing
You can use three or four fins on the Satellite. Use four dowel fins and the helicopter or apinning featherweight recovery is more pronounced. Only three fins should get you a higher altitude. TRIVIA: For a short while, Centuri made a 13mm B3-7 engine. The instructions say the B3-7m engine got ...
[Read More]

Centuri Satellite 62SL Build Part 5 Paint
The body and nose cone are painted separately to make an easy color separation when the nose cone is glued in place. This picture shows the body and nose cone after sanding down the primer. I haven't installed the engine block yet so I was able to slide the 13mm casing (on the painting stick) ...
[Read More]

Centuri Satellite 62SL Build Part 6 Antenna Cutting
Note: The picture shown of the Satellite 62SL at www.oldrocketplans.com shows all the parts next to a ruler. I used this drawing for measurment of the antenna dowels. In this picture the four dowels are 4" long. But, the instruction drawings show the dowels to be longer. I asked on on YORF and ...
[Read More]

Centuri Satellite 62SL Build Part 8 Applying Paper Trim
The main body wrap is cut to size using a razor blade and straightedge. You could use spray adhesive on the back, but lately I've been using a glue stick with good results. The bottom edge of the wrap sits right on the leading edge joint of the fins. The top should line up with the top of the ...
[Read More]

Centuri Satellite 62SL Build Part 7 Antenna Gluing
Small strips of masking tape covered the gluing notches on the triangle fins. This kept the black paint off the gluing areas. Here I'm peeling off the tape, exposing the raw mat board edge. The guy at the local hobby store said that CA would hold the carbon fibre rods just fine. It didn't! ...
[Read More]

Centuri Satellite 62SL Build Part 9 Monokote Chrome Trim
If you decide to use the Monokote trim - Use the printed sheet to cut the Monokote Chrome trim pieces to size. Tape the chrome sheet down and then tape the print on top. You'll be cutting through the print and the chrome layer of the Monokote trim. Use a straightedge and new razor blade for the ...
[Read More]

Centuri Satellite 62SL Build Part 10 Engine Blocks
On this build, the engine block will be glued in from the top of the rocket. You can do this on short models. The nose cone has not been glued in yet. Mark a 13mm T engine casing 1/4" from the end and slide it into the body tube up to the pencil line. Slide the engine block in from the top ...
[Read More]

Centuri Satellite 62SL Build Part 11 Decals Over Monokote Trim
A few chances were taken on this build, not knowing how it would turn out. I wanted a chromed look but don't have an Alps printer that would print the chrome metallic ink. It was worth trying a decal (with clear background) right over the chrome Trim Monokote already in place on the four fin ...
[Read More]

Centuri Satellite 62SL Build Part 12 Finished and Comparison
On the left is the four antenna finned Satellite with the decals over the chrome Monokote Trim. On the right is the three antenna finned Satellite with the paper trim pieces glued on.   Here's the two models close together for comparison. This time the paper print three fin ...
[Read More]