46:. By 1959, the demand for rocket engines was too great for their production capabilities, so they sought out an external supplier. The Estes family business was the first fireworks company listed in the Denver phone book. Their son, Vern, took it upon himself to find a way to mechanize the production of rocket engines. He assembled a machine which he named "Mabel," capable of producing a rocket engine every 5.5 seconds. The machine was powered by compressed air and hydraulics, which was a much safer choice than electricity.
49:
Model
Missiles, Inc. was forced to fold due to a number of unwise business decisions. Although a model rocketry supplier had disappeared, the market still existed, and Estes formed his own company, Estes Industries, to fill this market. His first kit was the Astron Scout, a simple design that was so
141:
65:
136:
146:
131:
54:
28:
58:
43:
39:
20:
35:
125:
61:
in 1969, he remains active in model rocketry and occasionally attends launch events.
19:(usually referred to as Vern), born January 4, 1930, is the founder and namesake of
24:
115:
110:
53:
In 1961, Estes moved his company to a 77-acre (310,000 m) facility near
50:
small it fit inside the cardboard tubes used for shipping rocket engines.
42:
founded the first model rocket company, Model
Missiles Incorporated, in
104:
118:, a tribute to Vern Estes and his influence on Model Rocketry.
98:
107:, A website for collectors of Vintage Estes K-Kit Rockets.
111:
Photographs from Vern Estes' personal rocket displays.
101:, a website for Vern's proposed book of the same name.
77:
Craddock, Robert A. "Mr. Estes Comes to
Washington."
68:, and also helped make the Model Rocket Safety Code.
88:, September/October 2006, pp. 24–33, 60–1.
8:
27:production company, headquartered in
7:
142:People from Fremont County, Colorado
81:, October/November 2000, pp. 18-19.
57:. Although he sold his interest in
14:
66:National Association of Rocketry
1:
163:
79:Air&Space/Smithsonian
64:He also helped start the
23:, the highly recognized
105:Vintage Estes Rockets
84:"Space Age Legends."
55:Penrose, Colorado
29:Penrose, Colorado
154:
59:Estes Industries
44:Denver, Colorado
40:Orville Carlisle
21:Estes Industries
162:
161:
157:
156:
155:
153:
152:
151:
122:
121:
95:
86:Launch Magazine
74:
12:
11:
5:
160:
158:
150:
149:
144:
139:
137:Model rocketry
134:
124:
123:
120:
119:
116:Name That Vern
113:
108:
102:
99:Dear Mr. Estes
94:
93:External links
91:
90:
89:
82:
73:
70:
36:G. Harry Stine
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
159:
148:
147:Living people
145:
143:
140:
138:
135:
133:
130:
129:
127:
117:
114:
112:
109:
106:
103:
100:
97:
96:
92:
87:
83:
80:
76:
75:
71:
69:
67:
62:
60:
56:
51:
47:
45:
41:
37:
32:
30:
26:
22:
18:
85:
78:
63:
52:
48:
33:
25:model rocket
17:Vernon Estes
16:
15:
132:1930 births
126:Categories
72:References
34:In 1957,
38:and
128::
31:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.