While NASA Dilly-Dallies,
Quest Shows Us How It's Done
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Kit Specifications:
Skill Level 3: Average Skills Needed
Length: 21.6” (54.9 cm)
Diameter: 1.574” (40 mm)
Weight: 2.82 oz. (80 g)
Recovery Type: 14” (35.5 cm) Plastic parachute
ORDER This Kit NOW! Just click on the "Own It Today" button below.
Quest Future Launch Vehicle Rocket Kit
P/N: 07030
Price: $17.47
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Recommended 18mm Motors: See Chart Below.
Quest Future Launch Vehicle Altitude Predictions from Rocksim
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Motor Used
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Altidude - feet (meters)
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Comments
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151 feet (66.2 m)
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Use a 4 foot long launch rod. Slow, realistic liftoff.
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154 feet (206.6 m)
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Perfect for your first flight. Ball fields are fine with this motor.
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333 feet (395.1 m)
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Ball fields are still great with this motor
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565 feet (395.1 m)
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Composite propellant, loud sound with blue flame. With this much altitude, find a large field.Single-use motor.
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572 feet (395.1 m)
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Composite propellant, loud sound with blue flame. With this much altitude, find a large field.Single-use motor.
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Aerotech D13-4W
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588 feet (395.1 m)
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Composite propellant, loud sound with white flame. Reloadable motor.
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See the video below for help in selecting rocket motors. Rocket motors are sold separately from the kit. If you are unsure which one to pick, start with the one recommended for the First Flight, and then another for a more impressive launch. Most motors listed in this chart are available through Apogee Components. For other motors that are not listed here, download the RockSim file to see if it will work in this rocket kit. See also Technical Publication #28 for guidance on selecting appropriate rocket engines other than those listed in this chart. If you don't already have Technincal Publication #28, give us a call, and we'll be happy to let you download it free (you have to ask though). |
Here is a highly detailed sport scale model of NASA's next big-payload launch vehicle. The kit features beautifully detailed and pre-printed body wraps. There is no painting necessary—just cut out the wraps and use spray adhesive to apply them to the tube surface.
While NASA continues development of the real vehicle, Quest's engineers designed their own version! A must-have rocket for true space enthusiasts, especially if you want to get a jump on everyone else.
Take this kit out to the launch field, and you will have every enthusiast within sight asking if this is the Ares V cargo-hauling space truck!
The Ares V is the cargo launch component of the Constellation program, which will replace the Space Shuttle after its retirement in 2010. Initially, the Ares V will launch the Earth Departure Stage and Altair lunar lander when NASA returns to the Moon, which is currently planned for 2019, but will also serve as the principal launcher for missions beyond the Earth-Moon system, including the program's ultimate goal, a manned mission to Mars after 2030.
The unmanned Ares V will complement the smaller Ares I rocket for the launching of the 4 to 6 person Orion spacecraft. Both rockets, deemed safer than the current Space Shuttle, will utilize technologies developed for Apollo, the Shuttle, and the Delta IV EELV program.
The Ares V will be able to carry 414,000 lb to Low Earth orbit, and 157,000 lb to the Moon.
Upon completion the Ares V will be the most powerful rocket ever built, lifting more into orbit than even the Saturn V. The Ares V and the smaller Ares I are named after Ares, the Greek god of war.
The Ares V is a three-stage rocket: the first and second stages, which burn together, utilizes both solid and liquid propulsion with the upper stage providing the necessary propulsion to send the hardware and staples beyond low-Earth orbit and onto a trajectory to the Moon.
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Ares V, like the Space Shuttle, will utilize a pair of solid-fueled first stage rocket boosters that will burn simultaneously with the liquid-fueled second (core) stage. The solid rocket booster on Ares V will be an improved version of the current Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster, but with five and a half segments instead of the current four segments. The Future Launch Vehicle model has 3 SRBs which highly detailed wraps which can be seen in the photos. The liquid-fueled second stage is derived from the Space Shuttle External Tank, and will use six RS-68B liquid-fueled engines. Its fuels will be liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen.
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The upper stage, derived from the S-IVB upper stage used on the Saturn IB and Saturn V rockets, is known as the Earth Departure Stage. Powered by the Apollo-derived J-2X rocket engine, which will also be used on the liquid-fueled upper stage of the Ares I booster, the EDS will be used to steer the Altair lunar lander into its initial low-Earth "parking" orbit for later retrieval by the Orion spacecraft, and then will propel both the Altair and Orion to the Moon.
The EDS can also be used to haul large payloads into low-Earth orbit, along with placing large unmanned spacecraft onto trajectories beyond the Earth-Moon system.
Why Skill Level 3?
The Future Launch Vehicle is what we would call a "low skill level 3" kit. Quest starts with four standard thin-wall body tubes, adds full-body wraps, and, quickly, you've got amazing scale-like detail. While we painted our display model's nose cone black (an option suggested in Quest's exemplary instructions), you can leave it white. If you do, there's no painting, sanding or sealing at all. If you build a lot of rockets, like I do, this is a welcome vacation from the normal finishing process.
The SRB nose cones require assembly of their shoulders. The fins are a 3-layer sandwich of wrap material and cardstock. The SRB nozzles must be cut out, rolled and glued from one of the wrap sheets. Spray glue must be used on all of the body wraps: if you have never done this before, you need to try a couple of dry runs before you make the commitment with these great-looking wraps.
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Assembly is easy - Just watch the video! - We've created a series of FREE quicktime videos that you can watch right now to see how easy a skill level 1 kit is to put together. By watching these videos, you'll learn some of the basic techniques you can use on other rockets too. You'll find these videos at our "getting started" page. Check it out!
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How many times have you bought commercially printed products and the details just don't hold up? These wraps are of amazingly high quality. The offset lithography is perfectly registered and the paper is a thick, glossy, coated stock.
Ours were 1mm too long, which is just right: if you want to overlap a tiny bit, you can, but if you want to have a perfect joint, you can trim off a little and build a joint that's hard to find at all.
I found that the wraps are also resistant to scratches and wear.
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Plastic Nose Cones - The smooth plastic nose cones require little or no finishing, and they are very durable for many flights. Their shapes are very efficient for high speed rocket flights. I used CA glue on the small Solid Rocket Booster nose cone shoulders, which is fast, easy and plenty durable.
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Durable Plastic Parachute - The kit comes with a colorful chute that makes it easy to see your rocket as it comes down from super-high flights.
The model also comes with a high-strength, Kevlar® Shock cord. Kevlar® is six times stronger than steel, and is also fire proof. It can easily withstand the high heat of ejection, ensuring the rocket descends as a single piece. This makes for a very durable rocket that can be launched again and again. Kevlar® doesn't have any give, though, so Quest also includes some elastic to conquer the shock.
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The high-quality motor mount has a steel clip to reduce prep time in the field. The centering rings are thick card stock, plenty stout for this rocket. The launch lug is 1/8 inch, which is the ideal size for this kit.
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Tools needed to assemble this rocket kit:
- Pencil
- White glue or carpenter's wood glue
- Permanent spray glue
- Masking tape
- Hobby knife - (Optional) Used to remove fins from wood sheet.
- Finishing Supplies like paint and sandpaper.
To Launch This Rocket Kit, You'll Also Need:
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Frequently Asked Questions about the Quest Future Launch Vehicle kit:
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Q. What launch pad should I use to launch the Future Launch Vehicle One™?
- A. We recommend the Sky Launch System. This rocket flies just fine off this inexpensive launch pad.
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Q. This kit looks like it's made for more power. Can I load up the 3 SRBs with 13mm motors?
- A. Yes. But you need to spend some time in Rocksim enlarging the fin size, because the weight of 3 more motors will shift the center of gravity aft, resulting in unstable flight. We recommend Quest igniters for reliable cluster ignition. You will also need a clip whip. Please send us photos and videos of your launches if you build like this. If they're good enough quality, we might post them on this product page.
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Q. I need help selecting motors. What should I do?
- A. Watch this YouTube video.
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Piston Launchers - Get another 5% increase in altitude just by launching from a piston launcher! A piston launcher converts the hot exhaust gases from the rocket engine into high-pressure that kicks the rocket into the air at a faster velocity. Two sizes available for either 18mm or 24mm rocket engines.
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To see how the Quest Future Launch Vehicle rocket looks and performs with each motor configuration, download the RockSim Design file now. This file can be opened with the FREE demo version of RockSim (click here). Windows and Macintosh versions of RockSim are both available.
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What is a RockSim Design file? The RockSim software gives you a lot of information about the flight characteristics of this rocket: how high, how fast, where it will land, how will it react to wind, etc. The "design file" is intended to save you time. All the parameters (size, shape, weight, fin design, etc.) of this rocket have already been entered into the RockSim program, and saved as an electronic database file. You can just open it up in your copy of RockSim and start loading different rocket motors to run launch simulations. It's fun and educational to see the rocket zoom skyward, even before you built it. For more information about RockSim,
click here.
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What is expected when you launch your model rocket?
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Are you new to rocketry? Do you think you know what happens when you launch your rocket? Now you can learn about the events that occur as your rocket is launched into the air. So when you launch your rocket, you'll be prepared and you'll be able to show off your knowledge to observers watching your rocket. This article also gives you links to other references that will give you even more background information about rocketry, so you can become a true rocket scientist and expert.
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I am just getting reaquainted with model and midpower rocketry after many years away from the sport. This will be a great refresher and hopfully help get me the results I am looking for in terms of presentation and performance. Your web site is terrific, thank you for opening the door to this great hobby." —Ralph (Scarsdale, NY)
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Kevlar® is a registered trademark of E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company for its brand of aramid fiber. Only DuPont makes KEVLAR®
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Shipping and Handling Fees:
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To estimate the shipping charges, please see our shipping information page. This page also explains how items are shipped, as well as offering you additional shipping options.
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