High-Energy Motors To Launch
Your Favorite Rockets!

When you call, these are the kind of simple questions we'll ask you:

1. Are you using a kit, or is the rocket something you created yourself? Assuming it is a kit, which one?
   
   
2. What diameter is the engine mount? If you don't know, can you provide us with one of the recommend motors listed by the manufacturer of the kit? (We know our motors, so this will tell us the sizes that will fit into the rocket).
   
   
3. How big of a field do you use to launch rockets? (This tells us how big of a motor to recommend, because if the rocket goes too high it will drift out of sight. We're like you, we don't want to lose a precious rocket either.)

See how simple it is? Just give us a call if you need help. But if you would like to try your hand at selecting a motor, the information on this page will give you some guidance.

Below is some information about the motors listed above that you may find helpful when picking a single-use rocket motor for your project. If you have any additional questions, please give us a call at 719-535-9335 or send us an email.

What are the advantages of single-use motors?

1. They are simple and reliable. Just put the motor into the rocket and launch it. There is no assembly required on most of them, so you do not need to be a rocket scientist to use them.
   
   
2. They offer the fastest turn-around times between flights of the same rocket. If you are on a mission to launch a lot of rockets in the same day, single-use motors are great.
   
   
3. They lower the risk of losing a rocket. If you plan on flying to extreme altitudes and there is a great chance of never seeing the rocket again, then you may want to use a single-use motor because of the risk of losing the expensive reloadable casing. If you lose your reloadable casing, then it would have been much cheaper to use a single-use motor.
   
   
4. Safer to use with younger children. In most single-use motors, all the propellant is sealed inside the casing and cannot be removed by children. I'm sure you have great kids of your own, but do you completely trust their friends to be responsible and also not lose the small parts?

What is the disadvantage of single-use motors?

1. The are a bit more expensive per flight than a reloadable-motor.

You have to weigh the advantages versus the extra cost. We believe that there are a lot of cases where it makes sense to use them, which is why we carry so many different ones.

There are actually seven propellant formulations used in the single-use motors that we offer. These formulations only control the flame color that is produced; they still work the same way as all rocket motors. The color is a way for you to spice up the visual appeal of your rocket at lift-off. See the image below to get an idea of what the flame will look like for the different chemical formulations. For more information on motor flame-color, see Peak-of-Flight Newsletter #217.

The "E" power band, as the chart to the right shows, is greater than 20 Newton-seconds of Total Impulse, and less than 40 Newton-Seconds. The maximum power doubles from one letter to the next. So a "E" motor can have twice the power of a "D" motor; which means it will fly approximately twice as high.

An "E" motor isn't required to have the maximum of 40 N-s of total power to still be classified as an "E". It just has to have greater than 20 N-s but less than 40 N-s. This gives us the power-bands (shown as the colors in the chart to the right).

In our example, the E30-4T has 39.5 N-s of total impulse (from the table listed above). So it would considered a "Full" E motor since it is so close to the maximum of 40 N-s.

The first NUMBER after the power rating letter is the average thrust level of the rocket measured in Newtons. In the example case (E30-4T), the 30 means that it has an average thrust of 30 Newtons (a Newton is equivalent to 0.225 pounds of force).

The number after the dash is the delay time. In this example (E30-4T), the "4" tells us this motor has a four second ejection charge delay. That means that after the rocket takes off and the propellant is consumed, the delay charge burns for four seconds. This allows the rocket to coast into the air before the ejection charge pushes out the recovery device (either a streamer or a parachute). For more information on what to expect when you launch your rocket,
click here.

The letter after the delay time gives us an indication of the chemical propellant type/formulation used in the motor. See the above image to get an idea of what each formulation will look like:

T = Blue Thunder: produces a pale-blue flame, and wispy smoke.

W = White Lightning: produces a brilliant white flame, and dense white smoke.

J = Black Jack: creates dense black smoke that hides the flame.
FJ = Black Max: creates dense black smoke that hides the flame, more oomph than Black Jack

R = Redline: produces a vivid scarlet-red flame and white smoke.

G = Mojave Green: produces an eerie green flame and white smoke.

Note: The "T" for the Blue Thunder formulation can cause a little confusion, since Estes use the "T" designation to indicate the size of the motor as being 13mm in diameter. See Estes Items for more about the "T". In either case, you can ignore the last letter since it doesn't really add much to the motor designation, it only tells you what color the flame is.

If there is a /L after the propellant type, then this tells us that the motor is of the "LOADABLE" variety, and requires assembly by the user.

It can be confusing. But if you have any questions about the motor designations, please give us a call, or send us an email.

Apogee Saturn 1B model lifts off on an Econojet F20-4W motor. Photo by Tim Doll

Composite Propellant -- in general terms -- means that the propellant is a mixture of ingredients (fuel and oxidizer substances) that when mixed together, solidify by means of a chemical reaction. By chemical reaction, it is similar to mixing up epoxy; when Part A and Part B are mixed, the chemical reaction causes the mixture to harden. By contrast, "Black Powder" propellant is a powdery substance that is "pressed" into a hard slug.

The reason "composite-propellant" motors cost a little bit more than "Black Powder" motors (such as the Quest motors) is because of this chemical formulation of the fuel inside. These motors use a high-energy propellant formulation; very similar to the type of propellant used in the Solid Rocket Boosters (SRB) of the Space Shuttle. What this means to us modelers is that when it burns, it gives off much more thrust per weight of the fuel. Composite motors are more than two times more efficient than black powder propellant rocket motors. They are smaller, and produce much more power!

But to get this extra power and higher efficiency, the ingredients that make up the propellant are more expensive than black powder. Not only that, but the case that holds the propellant has to be much stronger to contain the higher pressure the gases create as the propellant burns. So there is also the expense of this extra-strong case to hold it all together. You wouldn't want your motor to burst open because of a flimsy case, would you?

I know what your thinking. You don't care about high-efficiency. You just want a cheap motor. Since black powder propellant is cheaper, why not use it to make big motors to save money? That is a great observation, and shows you're thinking like a true rocket scientist. But unfortunately, there are two problems: technical and economic.

On the technical side, black powder when pressed into a rocket motor is very very brittle. In other words, it cracks easily. The bigger the motor, the worse the problem becomes. So if you dropped a large black powder motor on the ground, or it got really jiggled during shipping, it could easily get a hairline crack in it. That means when you launch it, the motor will burst open, and cause the model to crash and break. Would you want your bigger, and more expensive rockets to be destroyed on their first flight?

This is the main reason you don't often see black powder rocket motors larger than a D or E size. Bigger than this, and the failure rate increases to the point where you destroy too many good rocket models.

By contrast, composite propellant is actually rubbery. It has the consistency of a pencil eraser. It doesn't crack or break like black powder propellant. So it can take a lot of abuse that the shipping companies usually seem to subject packages to. Your success rate increases exponentially. This is the reason that it is actually cheaper to use composite motors on mid-size and larger rockets. You won't be replacing the rockets because the motor burst open.

On the economic side, the bigger the black powder motor, the more difficult it is to make. The machinery is bigger and more expensive. Whereas, in composite motors, the production equipment doesn't change between smaller motors and bigger ones. So it becomes cheaper to make big composite propellant motors than making an equivalent size black powder motor.

These motors have many advantages. Serious modelers love them because:

• The high thrust gives you the extra oomph to get those big rockets into the air.
  
  
• Small size - when used in smaller models, they really scream out of sight.
  
  
• Brilliantly colored flame color, and loud roar make them a crowd pleaser when you launch them.
  
  
• Anyone can use them. They are legal in all 50 states and USA Territories!
  
  
• No Federal nor State Explosive Permits needed to possess or transport these motors.
  
  
• No "explosive storage magazine" required to store these motors in your house. Before I finally got my rocketry stuff organized, I used to store rocket motors in a shoe-box in my bedroom closet.
  
  
• We can ship them via the US Postal Service: That means there are NO expensive ($20) HAZMAT shipping fees!

D21 - This engine has the same physical size as the Estes C6 motor. But it has twice the total power and more than three times the initial kick. That means this motor has a lot of gitty-up-and-go to it. It is perfect for very heavy rockets that use the 18mm diameter motor. Candidate rockets include models like egg-lofters, a rocket that has a heavy payload, or alien landers that are also big and heavy. In a small, lightweight, minimum diameter rocket, like the Apogee Blue Streak, this motor will almost put it to supersonic speeds. You'll never see it go; all you'll see is the smoke trail.

E15 - A great alternative to the Estes D12 motor. It is the same physical size. But it has twice the power, so it will send your rockets about two-times as high. But this motor will still will give the rocket a nice slow lift-off. It puts out a very large and spectacular white flame, just like the real rockets that NASA launches. If you have a scale model, this would be a good choice to use.

E20 - In late 2009, Aerotech released the E20 motor in a new molded case. The advantage of this new case is that it makes assembly of the motor less expensive compared to the old style cases used in the E15 and the E30. That cost savings is transferred to the customer, who will find this motor in a two pack and the price per motor is lower than the E15 and the E30.

The motor uses the White Lightning propellant, so it has a huge white flame and a crackling roar as it takes off. It is a great alternative to the Estes E9 and the Estes D12.

E30 - When your rocket is too heavy for the Estes D12 motor, use the E30. It is the same physical size. It also has a big time initial kick to get the rocket moving, and it has twice the power, so it will send your rockets about two-times as high. The higher initial thrust means the rocket will come off the pad really quickly. This feature makes it great for breezy days to keep the rocket going straight instead of weathercocking over. This is the best motor to use for heavy and draggy rockets that have 24mm diameter engine mounts because it will get it up to speed in the shortest amount of time.

F32 - This motor will make kits that can use the Estes D12 just SCREAM into the air! They will go so high and fast that your neck is going to get whip-lash trying to follow it into the sky. The motor is a little longer than the Estes D12, but is the same length as the Estes E9 (which is a bit wimpy, even compared to the D12). Rock and roll with this one!

F20, F23- This is a mid-range thrust motor. That means the thrust isn't too high, nor is it too low. This makes it a nice motor for light-weight rockets that use a 29mm motor mount. It will push them to really high altitudes. But if the rocket is heavy, or wants to weathercock into the wind, then use the F42 rocket as an alternative. Like the E15, this motor puts out a bright white flame that is super impressive. That makes it a great motor for scale models.

F27 - This is another mid-range thrust motor. It puts out a bright red flame that is sure to get your rocket noticed. Because the chemicals used to make the red flame are more expensive, we carry the loadable variety to save you some money. But this also means you'll need to put it together prior to flight.

F42 - This would be classified as a high thrust motor. These are used on bigger rockets that need a bigger kick to get the rocket moving quickly off the launch pad. Otherwise, the rocket will arc over and be a safety hazard. The F42 will definitely turn heads at your next launch, because it has great "gitty-up-and-go!" Spectators can't help but notice the loud roar of the motor as it takes off.

G77 - This is a high thrust motor good for really heavy or really big rockets. In a small rocket, like the Apogee Aspire, it will push it to supersonic speeds. It puts out a bright red flame that is sure to get your rocket noticed. Because the chemicals used to make the red flame are more expensive, we carry the loadable variety to save you some money. But this also means you'll need to put it together prior to flight.

G78 - This is a high thrust motor good for really heavy or really big rockets. In a small rocket, like the Apogee Aspire, it will push it to supersonic speeds. Of all the single-use motors, the G78 has the most power, meaning your rocket will go the highest and the fastest with this motor. The motor also puts out a eerie green flame that shows off its mach diamonds in the plume. Because the chemicals used to make the green flame are more expensive, we carry the loadable variety to save you some money. But this also means you'll need to put it together prior to flight.

G79 - A great high thrust motor that has a brilliant white flame. We like this one for our Saturn V rocket kit. The white flame gives it a realistic look. We carry the loadable variety to save you some money and so that we can ship it through the Postal System without an additional Hazmat fee (saving you even more money). But this also means you'll need to put it together prior to flight.

How do the sizes of these motors compare to the Estes D12? That is a common question, and you're smart to ask. It doesn't make sense to pick a size that doesn't fit your rocket, as that would be a waste of money.

As you can see from the picture above, the sizes are as follows:

Aerotech D10 and D21: The D10 and D21 are smaller than the Estes D12 motor. Actually, they are the same size as the Estes C6 motor (also shown in the above photo). The Aerotech D motors are "FULL power," meaning that they are really close to the maximum 20 N-seconds of power allowed for D motors by the National Association of Rocketry. That makes them twice as powerful as the C6, and actually even more powerful than the D12.

Aerotech E15 and E30: Exactly the same size. They WILL fit into your kits that use the Estes D12 motors. The difference is that they will now fly higher and faster! You'll really freak people out when they expect a D motor, and all of a sudden the rocket screams out of sight on a large pillar of smoke. "That was no D motor!" they'll scream.

Aerotech F32: This motor is the same size diameter as the Estes D12 motor, but it is a little longer. It will work in most kits that use the D12, but you'll need a longer engine hook (Estes E-Size), or you can let the motor hang out the back end of the rocket a little bit. This does work, but may require a few grams of nose weight on rockets that are marginally stable.

Aerotech F20, F23, F27, F42: These motors are larger in diameter than the Estes D12 motor. So they won't fit into kits that have D12 motor mounts. If you want to fly them in those kits, you'll need to change the engine mount tube so that it accepts 29mm diameter motors. You can find 29mm engine mount tubes on our body tube web page. You want the tube with Part Number 10110.

Aerotech G77 and G78, G79: These motors are the same diameter as the F20, F27 and F42, but are longer. You'd expect that, since they are G-size motors, and therefore have more power then the F motors.

If you need help designing and building engine mounts, see our e-zine newsletter #104, or check out our motor mount kits.

The G77, G78 and the G79 motors are a unique type of single-use motor. You must assemble these rocket motors prior to flying them. This is why it is called a "Loadable" motor.

Is this an advantage? If so, why?

• Lower Price. These motors are cheaper because you provide the most expensive part, the labor to assemble them. And labor ain't cheap. You could either pay Aerotech to put them together, or you can save money by doing it yourself.

• Shippable. Typically, G-size motors can't be shipped through the mail. But because each of the two propellant slugs are less than 30 grams and are not assembled, these motors are approved to ship through the mail. So there is no HAZMAT shipping fees.

The loadable motors are designated by a dash and the letter L after the motor name. Like: /L

For example: F27-4R/L or the G77-20R/L

This motor does require assembly prior to flight. We recommend the React-A-Pack epoxy to glue in the forward bulkhead (the large red piece in the above photo). It doesn't take much liquid epoxy to assemble the motor, which makes the small size of the React-A-Pack perfect for this task.

If you wish to have additional igniters for the G77 or G78 motors, please order the First-Fire Jr.™

You must be 18 years old to purchase reloadable rocket motor.

Some motors, like the G77 is also available as a fully reloadable motor too.

The G77-4R/L and G79-4W/L are a high thrust motors with a lot kick that will get even heavy rockets moving really quickly. We recommend them for the 1/70th scale Saturn V rocket kit. It can also be used in other large models that need a short delay due to high drag and excess weight.

The G77-10R/L is recommend to push the Apogee Aspire to supersonic speeds. Since it is a long-delay motor, it should only be used in lightweight rockets.

Q. How do composite propellant motors burn? Is it different from black powder propellant motors?

A. Composite propellant motors do burn different from black powder propellant motors. There are two animations that show how these motors work:

How Composite Propellant Motors Work
How Black Powder Propellant Motors Work

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 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. Will Apogee Components carry other Aerotech motors besides the ones listed here?

A. Right now, we're only stocking the motors that can be shipped via the US Postal Service. This is limited to rocket motors with less than 30 grams of propellant.

Q. How is maximum lift-off weight determined?

A. The maximum recommended lift-off weight for each delay depends on the size of the rocket, its drag coefficient, launch angle, and the wind conditions at launch. We recommend running a RockSim computer simulation for each rocket design and launch conditions to select the proper motor delay. For help selecting the correct delay time, see Apogee Technical Publication #28. For additional information on maximum lift-off weight, see our FREE newsletter article on this subject. Click here to download Issue #214.

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. 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. What is Recovery Wadding, and why do I need it?

A. Click Here for more information about Recovery Wadding.

Q. Is there permanent wadding that doesn't need to be replaced?

A. Yes. It is a special fabric called Nomex^®. Click Here for more information.

Q. Which igniters should I buy for the D10, D21, E15, and E30 Motors?

A. We recommend the Quest "Q2G2" igniters.
Click Here for more information.

Q. Which igniters should I buy for the F-Engines shown above?

A. Get the Copperhead igniters. Click Here for more information.

Q. Which igniters should I buy for these larger composite propellant motors like the G77, G78 and G79?

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

Q. How do you stage composite propellant motors?

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