Picture to the left is from the Jerry Fortin website. To visit: CLICK HERE
"Simulates one of the newest, most sophisticated space concepts for the 1980s, and like the Space Shuttle Enterprise, Estes engineers have it flying long before NASA does. Developed for low cost, long duration, deep space missions the real vehicle will use sunlight pressure to push it away from Earth at speeds up to 35,000 mph. Our model features printed balsa fins, quick-release engine mount and realistic decals simulating solar panels and girder construction. Truly spectacular recovery with giant 24" solar sail chute.
The first Solar Sailer kit was 39" tall and had a 24"?? diameter chrome Mylar parachute!
A 24" chute seems too large and would be hard to pack in the 1" diameter, BT-50 upper tube.
The lower fins are split, the leading edges joined by a diagonal dowel.
The three lower fins were glued on 2 3/4" from the rear, on the later kit they were only 3/4" from the low end of the tube. In the first #1297 kit, the front fin triangle went over the end of the BT-50 and down onto the central BT-20 tube. There were more dowel details in the earlier kit.
Decals cover the sides of central gusset fins giving it a simulated girder look.
The 1991 - 1993 second reissued kit (#2044) was called the Solar Sailer II. It was 10" shorter with an 18" printed chrome Mylar parachute.
The thing I don't understand is the use of 1/16" thick balsa fins. You usually only see 1/16" thick balsa on the earliest, smaller kits. The lower fins have a 1/8" diameter dowel along the leading edge so they will be well reinforced.
The clone build starts tomorrow -
The SS2 looks more proportionately correct than the old 1297 version. Ive made quite a few BT60 upscales of this and my original Tripoli confirmation flight 30 years ago was with the BT80 version on the AT H55 SU motor with a drilled delay.
ReplyDeleteThe SS2 needed more decals to look 'right' as well as the longer girders the 1297 had.
As far as those 'solar sail' chutes went, well.....that 1297 24" was the crinkly thicker mylar deal - VERY HARD to get consistently in or out of the BT50 upper tube. The SS2 had a 'fakey' silvery sort of 18" deal, nice but not really 'chromey'.
Estes should release a BT60 upscale of this with some of the `1297s features such as the slightly longer midsection, the extra decals, and having the forward fin bits go just ahead of the lower section tube. That'd look better than the 1297s deal going longer there and the SS2s fins being solely on the lower section.
AstronMike
Hi Mike,
DeleteI thought about cloning the first Solar Sailer design, but it is just too tall! I did like the more complicated fins and dowel details of the first kit.