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IMPORTANT FACTS
ABOUT ESTES MODEL ROCKET ENGINES
Due to their design as precisely manufactured packages of
power with strictly engineered tolerances, Estes engines are the
standard in the industry. Some important features are:
** A totally safe product throughout its 40+ year history, owing
this outstanding record to experienced craftsmanship and engineering.
** Pre-manufactured propellants that are placed in their casings
at the factory. The modeler does not have to handle or mix propellants,
just insert the igniter in the engine and install the engine in the
rocket.
** Expendable engines that are used once, then discarded.
Attempting to reload these engines can be dangerous and is forbidden by
regulations. Manufacturing of or tampering with propellants can be
extremely dangerous and is against the model rocket safety code.
Expendable model rocket engines have provided the foundation for model
rocketry as an educational tool and hobby activity.
** Three percent of all Estes engines are tested for reliability
and adherence to performance standards. If standards are not met, the
engines do not make it to market.
The following illustrations help you picture the details of our engine.
Figure 6 illustrates the Estes color coding for use identification and
the alphanumeric code for performance ratings. Recommended launch field
sizes are shown in Figure 7
based on engine power usage.
ESTES
ENGINE CODING
Estes engines are color-coded for recommended use. GREEN engines are for
use in single stage models; PURPLE engines for the top stages of
multi-stage rockets and very light single stage rockets; RED engines for
all booster and intermediate states of multi-stage models. YELLOW are
'plugged' and recommended for special uses only.
LAUNCH
SITE DIMENSIONS
Installed
Total Impulse
Equivalent Engine
(Newton-Seconds) |
Type |
Minimum
Site Dimension
(feet) (meters) |
| 0.00--
1.25 |
1/4A
& 1/2A |
50
/ 15 |
| 1.26--
2.50 |
A |
100
/ 30 |
| 2.51--
5.00 |
B |
200
/ 60 |
| 5.01--
10.00 |
C |
400
/ 120 |
| 10.01--
20.00 |
D |
500
/ 150 |
| 20.01--
40.00 |
E |
1000
/ 300 |
| 40.01--
80.00 |
F |
1000
/ 300 |
| 80.01--
160.00 |
G |
1000
/ 300 |
| 160.01--
320.00 |
2Gs |
1500
/ 450 |
TYPICAL TIME/THRUST CURVES ESTES B6-4 MODEL
ROCKET ENGINE
| Figure 8 shows a cross
section of a standard Estes rocket engine and a time thrust
curve used to plot the engine's performance. Comparing the
force it exerts (vertical axis) versus the time over which it
burns (horizontal axis) provided information about the
engine's total impulse, average thrust and time delay. |
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HOW HIGH WILL YOUR ROCKET GO?
The chart
below shows the approximate altitudes that can be achieved with single
stage rockets.
MODEL ROCKET
ENGINE FUNCTIONS
Graphic explanation of a rocket engine's fundamental construction and
functions. Figure 9 shows the internal structure of a typical model
rocket engine and the function of each component during a
typical flight.
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