Step 1: Pick the diameter of the engine. Clicking on the links will take you to more information about each diameter motor so you can select the correct casing. 

• 24mm Dia. Motor Hardware (E - G)
• 29mm Dia. Motor Hardware (F - H)
• 38mm Dia. Motor Hardware (G - J)
• 54mm Dia. Motor Hardware (I - K)*
• 75mm Dia. Motor Hardware (K - M)*
• 98mm Dia. Motor Hardware (K - N)*

• 24mm Dia. Motors (E - G) - You are here!
• 29mm Dia. Motors (F - H)
• 38mm Dia. Motors (G - J)
• 54mm Dia. Motors (I - K)*
• 75mm Dia. Motors (K - M)*
• 98mm Dia. Motors (K - N)*
  
  *Call to special order

Step 2: Pick the Cesaroni Propellant kit that you want to fly in your rocket. To be honest, this is the most time-consuming step. Contact us if you need help. We'll direct you to the RockSim software that we use to help pick the right rocket engines for your vehicle. Technical Publication #28 gives you a step-by-step procedure for picking the motors that might work in your rocket.

Step 3: Match the propellant kit that you just selected in step 2 to the appropriate Cesaroni Case.

The aluminum reloadable casing is also called the "reload hardware." Why not let Apogee Components be your hardware store?

Click the links for a video of the motor.

Blue Streak: Blue flame, thin gray smoke.
White Thunder: Bright white flame, light gray smoke. Most realistic looking propellant.
Smoky Sam: Dense black smoke that obscures the flame.
Red Lightning: Red flame, white smoke.
Green: Green flame
Skidmark: Intense orange flame, thick black smoke with sparks (called a "Sparky" motor).
Imax: Initial greenish flame that turns orange before burnout.
Classic: Narrow orange flame, thin, light gray smoke.
White: Bright white flame.
Vmax: Wide orange flame, very quick thrust.

Even though they are not classified as explosives, G80 motors currently require shipment through a certified hazmat carrier (such as FedEx-Ground, or UPS-Ground). This is because the motors contain more than 30-grams of propellant.

Both carriers require the motors be marked as hazmat, and because of that, they charge a $25 per box hazmat fee. Unfortunately, we cannot do anything about this, even if you order just one single motor. Sorry, but the the per box fee is the same.

Because of this, it makes sense to order as many large motors as possible to leverage the Hazmat fee. You may ask your friends in your club if they would want to go in with you on your order to minimize the effect of the Hazmat fee.

The good news is that FedEx-Ground and UPS-Ground are quicker shipping boxes to you than is the government. And it is far easier to track it trough the system from our dock to your front porch.

When you order these motors, you will be charged one Hazmat fee per box. If additional HazMat fees are required, you will be contacted by our staff. If you have any questions, you are welcome to call us at: 719-535-9335.

NOTE: We cannot ship HAZMAT outside of the United States, to Hawaii, Alaska, or any US Protectorate.

Also, there MUST be someone 18 years of age or older at the time of delivery to sign for the package. If there's a chance you won't be home, have it delivered to your place of work.

Q. How do I adjust the ejection charge delay on the Cesaroni motors?

A. You need a special drill tool, called the "Pro-DAT" that allows you to put a hole into the delay grain that makes the coasting time shorter. One delay tool can be used on all 24mm, 29mm and 38mm motors. Click Here for more information.

Q. Do I need to be high-power certified to buy these motors?

A. For certain motors you do need to be high-power certified to buy the propellant kits (generally H size and larger).

 

Q. Where do I go to get High Power Certified so I can buy the propellant kits?

A. In the United States, there are two organizations that can certify you to fly high power motors. They are the National Association of Rocketry, and Tripoli Rocketry Association. If you are outside of the USA, please click here.

Q. How come the 6-grain "G" size motors are classified as high-power? I thought that "H" motors were the beginning of high-power motors.

A. In the United States, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has designated that any rocket motor that has an average thrust level greater than 80-Newtons is considered "high-power." The only 6-grain motor in the table above that does not fall into this range is the G65-8, so technically, you don't have to be HPR certified to buy the G65-8. However... The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has regulated that motors containing more than 62.5 grams of propellant cannot be sold to anyone under the age of 18 (for more information, visit the NAR's web site -- click here). What this means is that you first have to fly an H-motor and get certified, and then you can purchase the smaller 24mm diameter G motors except the G65-8. Aren't regulations wonderful?

Q. How do I remove the ejection charge on the Cesaroni motors?

A. This is the answer from Cesaroni: "The plastic white cap on the top of the motor is just tacked in place with some ABS glue (yellow). Just use a screwdriver or awl to remove it and then tap the powder out. No need to close it off again. But if you want to prevent any flashback from the delay through the touch-hole the user can just put a drop of epoxy in it or tape it." Note (legal disclaimer): Apogee Components is not responsible for the performance of the motors nor any modifications you may make to them.

Q. How come the Cesaroni motors are non-refundable?

A. We would love to be able to say the motors are returnable and refundable, but the motors must be shipped as HAZMAT. It is possible to return them to us, but you do have to go through the training classes from the DOT (U.S. Department of Transportation) in order to qualify as a shipper of hazardous materials. Unfortunately, it isn't likely that you'll be able to take them to UPS or FedEx and have them accept the package from you unless you've completed the classes for Hazmat items. Therefore, please make sure that the motors you order will be correct for your project. Additionally, don't buy the motors for someone else and expect to ship them yourself (such as shipping internationally).

Q. Is it simple to use a reloadable motor?

A. Like anything in rocketry, there is a learning curve. There is a proper sequence of assembly steps, each with a verification step (to check for quality control). If you follow these steps (for both assembly and disassembly) with proper cleaning, you will find that it is fairly easy to assemble a reloadable rocket engine. Watch the video on this web page and judge for yourself if it is easy or not. We think you'll find that it is straight-forward if you follow the instructions.

Q. It is safe and reliable?

A. Yes, if you use them as prescribed by the detailed instructions.

Reloadable rocket motors are designed to be rugged and safe. If you assemble them incorrectly, they are designed to spit out the aft closure (where the nozzle is held in place). Once this happens, the pressure inside the motor is released, and most times the propellant will completely stop burning.

Q. When should I switch from single-use motors and use the reloadable variety?

A. As soon as you are sure you won't stop flying rockets (we all know how addictive they are). The metal case, into which you insert the propellant grains, takes a commitment to purchase because of the initial expense. You must look at it as an investment that pays for itself over time (like the RockSim software), because of the reduced cost per flight for the reload propellant grains.

Q. When should I avoid using a reloadable motor?

A. Reloadable motors are not for everyone. If you're under 18 years old, you may not use them.

There are also some situations where it is advisable to use a single-use motor, like the Apogee Medalist or Econojet motors. The biggest reason to use a single-use motor is in a rocket where there is a higher than average chance that the rocket will be lost after the flight. For example, launching the high-flying Apogee Aspire kit, which can easily go over 1 mile high and become a tiny speck in the sky, is a good place to use a single-use motor. This is the major reason why we at Apogee Components, do not sell the 18mm reload casing; there is just too high of a chance of losing the rocket on each flight.

Other "not-recommended" situations are when the launch area is surrounded by thick forests and/or lots of water. If you lose the rocket, you've lost the expensive metal reload casing.

You might not want to use a reloadable motor in contests, where you want to keep the rocket light. Typically, a single-use motor will be lighter in weight, and should allow the rocket to fly higher and stay in the air longer.

Finally, if you are in a time-crunch, such as working on a school project where you have to fly the same rocket multiple time in a single day, you might want to avoid a reloadable motor. The reason is that it can take a significant amount of time to clean and reload the casing after each flight. The weather may change quickly on you during those periods of prepping for flight. Also, when you are stressed for time, you are more apt to make an assembly mistake that could cause you to crash the rocket.

Q. Will reloadable motors work and will they even fit into my "built" kits that I already own?

A. Yes. For more information on the case sizes and how they are designed to fit into your existing kits, please see the FAQ's on the casings page.

Q. How do you select the right reload motor to use?

A. You select a reload motor based on the rocket you intend to fly and it's mission objective. This is exactly the same way you'd choose a single-use motor.

Start by using the RockSim software. Create or load-in your rocket design, then try out various motors until you find the right one that will keep the rocket safe and will meet the mission objectives. I highly recommend reading Technical Publication #28, which describes the procedure for selecting motors.

Q. Can I make my own metal cases?

A. Not recommended. Each reloadable case is precision engineered and manufactured to exact specifications using high-grade aerospace materials. They are made this way to be safe and reliable. Why? Because, if they should fail because of improper assembly, they need to burst open in a pre-designed manner that won't cause harm to spectators. Safety is everything in model rocketry!

Q. Is the rocket fuel (propellant grains) interchangeable between motor casings?

A. No. Each type of propellant grain is made to be loaded in a specific metal case. The reason is that the grains are different geometries (some have holes, some have slots) and are different sizes. They each burn differently which affect how much thrust they create. Additionally, the grains must be matched to the correct rocket nozzle so they create the proper amount of pressure inside the metal case. Too much pressure and the case will burst the aft bulkhead. Too little pressure and the motor will not make enough thrust to lift the rocket safely into the air. In other words, there is no such thing as a "generic" reload case.

Q. Can I make my own reload propellant (such as black-powder) and put it into the metal reload casing?

A. No. Black powder is classified as an explosive. The metal reload case is not designed to hold explosives like black powder. It will burst open in an uncontrolled manner. This is highly dangerous!

Q. Can I reload a single-use motor with the reloadable propellant grains?

A. No. During the "burn," the inside of a single-use case is severely charred and eaten away. The nozzle also erodes and changes shape. Should you try to reload the case, it will burst open and could cause you harm. This is why the NAR safety code prohibits modelers from doing this dangerous activity.

Q. Why don't you ship rocket motors to countries outside the USA?

A. There are too many shipping regulations. We're a small company, and we don't have the manpower to track the regulations for each country in the world. So to keep our prices as low as possible, we only ship motors to USA customers.

Q. Can you ship motors to me by this weekend?

A. All rocket motors must be shipped by surface transportation (truck). While we ship the motors usually the same day the order comes in, you should plan extra time for the postal service to deliver them via third class mail (Parcel Post).

Q. Which launch controller is recommended for the First Fire Jr.™ and Copperhead™ Igniters?

A. We offer two different controllers that can be used for these igniters. The Aerotech Interlock and the Pratt Hobbies GO-BOX Controller.

Q. Which igniters should I buy for these larger composite propellant motors?

A. Get the First Fire Jr.™ igniters. Click Here for more information.

Q. What kind of hook should I use to hold the 24mm reloadable engines in my rocket?

A. Aero Pack Engine Retainers. These are useful on rockets that use the 24mm diameter reloadable motors. And yes, they can be installed on existing rocket kits.

Q. How do you stage composite propellant motors?

A. You need some extra equipment in the rocket. We call them staging electronics.