Resources

What Makes A Rocket High Power - A nice chart explaining when you need an FAA Waiver or a NAR/TRA Certification for your large rocket.

Rocket Reviews - Reviews, Tips, and News (formerly Essence's Model Rocketry Reviews)

George Gassaway - George Gassaway's Rocketry Pages

JimZ Rocket Plans - Archive of manufacturer's plans and instructions

ThrustCurve.Org - Motor performance data

Estes Model Rocketry Technical Manual - A small book that explains much of model rocketry in a concise way

Ye Olde Rocket Shoppe - Archive of plans, catalogs, rocket nostalgia. Links to nostalgia rocketry vendors.

Rocket Equations - How high and how fast will my rocket go? This page will tell you that and a lot of other stuff.

MotorCato.org - When your motor fails catastrophically (has a "cato", as we say), and we tell you to go "fill out a MESS form"? This is what we're talking about!

Vintage Estes Rockets - A site devoted to the history of the first 59 kits from Estes (from roughly 1959 to 1973)

John Coker's Rocketry Page -

The information is somewhat dated, but still an excellent introduction to the hobby

Saturn V Rocket - SoAR member Everett Stowe's 1/48 scale Saturn V project, and some info about his 1/25 project.

Payload Bay Blog - Roger Smith's Rocketry Blog

Model Rocket Building Blog - Chris Michielssen's blog of model rocket building techniques.

NASA's Beginner's Guide To Rockets

How Rockets Work - A YouTube video of a lecture by Professor Chris Bishop where in just an hour he leads you through the laws of motion, physics of a rocket, and propellant chemistry, illustrating solid, liquid, and hybrid rocket motors, at a grade school level!

Open Rocket - Free and open source software for designing rockets and running flight simulations. Requires Java.

The Rocketry Show - A podcast that strives to entertain as well as inform you on High Power rocketry. From the producers of The Model Rocket Show.

Air Command Water Rockets - Not your father's water rockets. These rockets fly to 1000 feet or more with no fire whatsoever!

Rocket Science and Engineering Technologies - Analysis tools for Tomorrow's Rocket Engineer

LabRat Scientific - A STEM Resource for Teachers, Home School Providers, and Students

Space Elevators and Astronomy - Interesting thoughts on Space Elevators and Astronomy compiled by an elevator company

National Association of Rocketry - The oldest consumer rocketry organization in the world

Tripoli Rocketry Association - Organization of high power rocketry enthusiasts

Canadian Association of Rocketry - Canada's Sport Rocketry Association

SEARS - South East Alabama Rocketry Society (NAR)

MC2 - Music City Missile Club -- Nashville, TN (NAR)

BRB - Birmingham Rocket Boys (NAR, TRA)

Mile High Yellow Jackets USLI Team - Group of Georgia Tech Students participating in the NASA University Student Launch Initiative

ROCC - Rocketry Of Central Carolina (NAR, TRA)

HARA - Huntsville Alabama Rocketry Association (NAR,TRA)

Rocketry South Carolina - Site for both ROSCO (NAR) and Tripoli South Carolina (TRA)

Ramblin' Rocket Club - Rocket Club at Georgia Tech

Chris' Rocket Supply - High power rocket kits, motors, and supplies

AC Supply - Kits, Motors, and supplies

Hobbylinc - Kits, Motors, and supplies

Performance Hobbies - Kits, Motors, and supplies

JonRocket - Kits, Motors, and supplies

Rocketarium - Kits, Motors, and supplies

Discount Rocketry - Kits, Motors, and supplies, also manufacturers Modelrockets.us rocket kits

Apogee Components - Original Kits, as well as RockSim flight simulator, Motors, Supplies, and kits from other manufacturers

Belleville Hobby - Kits, motors, etc.

eRockets.biz - kits, motors, accessories, etc. Home of SEMROC Repro-Repo licensed reproductions of classic rocket kits.

BuyRocketMotors.Com - Mid- and High power rocket motors from Aerotech

Wildman Rocketry - A full line of rocket kits, motors, recovery gear, and supplies.

Hobby & Recreation Products - Carries Estes and Quest model rockets along with other hobby products

Launch Lab Rocketry - A new vendor with one kit, Bullet Bobby, and a collection of out of production Estes kits. Now home to Vander-burn Rocketry.

BnB Rockets - Kits and Accessories. As of 2022 makes and sells the former Sunward line of kits.

B & B Hobby Shop - Grayson, Ga, on Hwy 78 between Snellville and Loganville

Hobby Lobby - Various Locations: has a specific selection of Estes rockets and motors, from beginner to mid-power. Part of this selection is exclusive to Hobby Lobby, such as the Luna Bug, the Solo, and Cherokee-E.

Michaels - Various Locations: Has a limited selection of Estes beginner rockets

Hobbytown, Kennesaw, GA - One of the largest stores in the chain, Kennesaw Hobbytown has a large selection of Estes rockets, motors, and accessories, and now has a selection of smaller LOC/Precision rockets and accessories.

Allison Performance Hobbies - Newnan, Georgia

Chris' Rocket Supply - High power rocket kits, motors, and supplies

The Hobby Shop, Stockbridge, GA - In business south of Atlanta since 1989, Glen and Alvin have a real old style hobby shop, with a small but diverse selection of Estes, Custom, Starlight, and Quest rockets along with the usual planes, trains, cars, and plastic models.

Atlanta Hobby - In Cumming, GA. Has a small selection of Estes kits and supplies. Their main jam is airplanes, cars, helis, and drones. Online ordering is available.

Aerospace Specialty Products - Scale, Competition, Educational and Sport Rocket Kits, Components and Supplies

Aerotech - Mid-power and High-Power rockets and accessories

Altus Metrum - Open Hardware/Open Source Altimeters/flight computers

Apogee Components - Original Kits, as well as RockSim flight simulator, Motors, Supplies, and kits from other manufacturers

Applewhite Rockets - All sorts of odd rocket kits: monocopters, flying saucers, hourglasses, etc. All made available as free plans to printout.

ARA Press - Books and eBooks about model rockets, spaceships (both real and fantasy), posters, etc.

Balsa Machining Service - Get balsa replacement parts for classic and current Estes and Centuri kits here.

Binder Design - Mid- to High-power rocket kits and accessories

BnB Rockets - Kits and Accessories. As of 2022 makes and sells the former Sunward line of kits.

Boyce Aerospace Hobbies - 3D printed scale models and parts, including a set of grid fins and landing legs for the SpaceX Falcon 9 kit.

BPS.Space - Experimental thrust vector control systems for model rockets (minus the software)

Cessaroni Technology - Manufacturer of mid and high power rocket motors

Cosmodrome Rocketry - Mid to High-power scale models. This company may or may not be in business, but every once in awhile they produce some kits.

Custom Rockets - Kits and supplies for model rockets.

Discount Rocketry - Kits, Motors, and supplies, also manufacturers Modelrockets.us rocket kits

Dynasoar Rocketry - Radio Controled Rocket Gliders, including "profile scale"

Eggtimer Rocketry - Altimeters and GPS Trackers

Estes Rockets - For over sixty years, the primary source of model rocket supplies

Featherweight Altimeters - Altimeters for sport rockets

FlisKits - FlisKits is BACK! Under new ownership, though Jim Flis is still a designer/adviser.

Galactic Manufacturing - 3d printed parts for scale and upscale rockets

Giant Leap Rocketry - Parts and supplies for high power rockets

J & H Aerospace - Primarily a free-flight model airplane source, but they have two small swing wing rocket gliders, one capable of radio control. From Macon, GA

Jolly Logic - We make gadgets for things that fly. Why shouldn't science be fun?

Knight Mfg - New versions of the Magnum-style folding high power launch pads,

Launch Lab Rocketry - A new vendor with one kit, Bullet Bobby, and a collection of out of production Estes kits. Now home to Vander-burn Rocketry.

LOC/Precision & Public Missiles Limited - Mid to High-power rocket kits and components

Loki Research - Rocket motors and accessories

Mach 1 Rocketry - Low through high power rocket kits and accessories with fiberglass bodies.

Madcow Rocketry - Mid and high-power rocket kits and accessories

Marco Polo Tracking - Add tracking tags to your rockets

Meatball Rocketry (parts no longer available) - Josh and Jess Tschirhart's Rocketry Pages - includes scale data, and sources for 3-D printed parts.

Missile Works - Electronic devices for rocketry requirements

Moldin' Oldies - Resin reproduction parts for classic Estes and Centuri kits here, now part of Sirius Rocketry

MoreRockets.com - Reproduction model rocket kits and accessories

North Coast Rocketry - Mid-Power kits and supplies

Odd'l Rockets! - Odd'l Rockets kits are a little different

PerfectFlite - Altimeters and timers for sport rockets

Pratt Hobbies - Products for model and high power rocketry, including kits, launch systems, hybrid motors, and electronics

Qualman Rocketry - fin alignment guides, centering rings, stands

Quest Aerospace - Model rocket company with innovative Q-Jet 18mm motors and tiny Micro-Maxx 6mm motors for backyard flights!

Rail Buttons - Your source for rail buttons for all types of launch rail

Really Koo Stuff - Offers 3D printed parts for a flyable 1/100 Soviet N1 rocket. Working on a 1/100 Soyuz. Also offers airshow photo prints of Blue Angels and Thunderbirds.

RocketFlite - Igniter kits

Rocketman Parachutes by Ky & Buddy Michaelson - Parachutes of all types, for rockets, drones, model airplanes, and drogues for hang gliders

SBRocketry - A family of rockets designed by founder Scott Binder

Semroc - Semroc is part of eRockets.biz

Sirius Rocketry - Small line of kits, including the not-so-small 1/64 scale Saturn V, and parts including Moldin' Oldies nose cones.

Squirrel Works - Original kits

Sunward - High power rocket parts, HyperTek hybrid motors, and Tribbles! (yes, Tribbles!)

Tango Papa Decals - Waterslide decals for classic clones. Upscale Mars Lander kits.

Top Flight Recovery - Parachutes

Vander-burn - (now part of Launch Lab Rocketry) Custom laser-cutting; “Upgrades” of larger Estes kits; clones of discontinued Estes Pro-Series II kits.

Wildman Rocketry - A full line of rocket kits, motors, recovery gear, and supplies.

Altus Metrum - Open Hardware/Open Source Altimeters/flight computers

BPS.Space - Experimental thrust vector control systems for model rockets (minus the software)

Building a retro Estes Transroc - Earl Estes' (Vern's brother) project from the 1970's, sold by Estes for a short time. Now you can build your own!

Eggtimer Rocketry - Altimeters and GPS Trackers

Featherweight Altimeters - Altimeters for sport rockets

Jolly Logic - We make gadgets for things that fly. Why shouldn't science be fun?

Missile Works - Electronic devices for rocketry requirements

Multitronix - Telemetry tracking systems. Makers of Kate.

PerfectFlite - Altimeters and timers for sport rockets

Contest Rockets - Discussion of Model Rockets in Competition

The Rocketry Forum - Discussion forum about all aspects of sport rocketry.

Ye Olde Rocket Forum - Discussion forum about model rocketry nostalgia and new issues.

Ninfinger Productions - Sven Knudson's Archive of Catalogs and Magazines

Vernon Estes - The founder of Estes Industries presents model rocket history

Conversation with Vern and Gleda - A Conversation with Vern and Gleda Estes at Seattle's Museum of Flight. July 2014.

G. Harry Stine Memoir - How the hobby got started in the late 50's

Airplanes and Rockets - Interesting and nostalgic articles from the very early days of model rocketry

Conversation with Lee and Betty Piester - Lee and Betty Piester talk about this history of Centuri Engineering at the Museum of Flight

G. Harry Stine - Paying Forward - Short film about G. Harry Stine

Model Rocketry: The Space Age Hobby - Short documentary about model rocketry from the early 60's. Narrated by G. Harry Stine.

Early Model Rocket History at the Stine Archives, National Air & Space Museum - James Duffy's presentation at NARCON 2016

History of LDRS - History of the Large and Dangerous Rocket Ships National Launch

History of NARAM - History of the National model rocket championships, the National Association of Rocketry Annual Meet

Building a retro Estes Transroc - Earl Estes' (Vern's brother) project from the 1970's, sold by Estes for a short time. Now you can build your own!

John Duncan's Apollo-Saturn Page - Photos of Apollo and Saturn rocket hardware

G. Harry Stine Letters - Correspondence between G. Harry Stine and Orville Carlisle, that documents the very beginning of the model rocket hobby. (From Quest Aerospace)

Meatball Rocketry (parts no longer available) - Josh and Jess Tschirhart's Rocketry Pages - includes scale data, and sources for 3-D printed parts.

The Rocket N00b - A beginner's perspective on the hobby

Payload Bay Blog - Roger Smith's Rocketry Blog

The Model Rocket Show - A podcast (from the producers of the Rocketry Show) about all things Model Rocketry

Model Rocket Building Blog - Chris Michielssen's blog of model rocket building techniques.

Rich's Rockets - Blog

The Rocketry Show - A podcast that strives to entertain as well as inform you on High Power rocketry. From the producers of The Model Rocket Show.

Rocketeer's Corner - Bill Cooke's blog

Blast From The Past - Ed Minton's blog - Model Rocket Projects, Launches, Recollections, and Musings from an Old Fart Born-Again-Rocketeer !

Not Exactly Rocket Science - Bill Eichelberger's blog

Shroudlines, the Blog

Guide to Competition for the Casual Competitor - This is a simplified, less legalese version of NAR Competition Rules (along with suggestions for beginners).

NAR Competition Resources - While a bit out of date (covers pre-NRC rules), this is good overview of model rocket competition rules and advice

International Rocket Competition - The US has one style of model rocket competition, but the rest of the world has another style entirely, explained here.

Contest Rockets - Discussion of Model Rockets in Competition

U.S. Model Rocket Sporting Code - These are the official rules for model rocket competition in the United States

Summary of Competition Events - Compiled by the NARHAMS section, this covers the old style competition rules (pre NRC)

The American Rocketry Challenge (TARC) - Yearly national competition for middle and high school teams (formerly called Team America Rocketry Challenge)

Sport Rocketry - Official Magazine of the NAR, available only through membership and at some hobby shops

Open Rocket - Free and open source software for designing rockets and running flight simulations. Requires Java.

RASAero II - Free Aerodynamic Analysis and Flight Simulation Software for Windows (including older versions) from Rogers Aerospace

RockSim 10 - RockSim is a commercial computer program that allows you to design any size rocket then simulate its flight to see how high and fast it will fly!

SpaceCAD - Commercial Model Rocket Design and Flight Simulation software for Windows

Rocket Rundown - News and views on professional rocketry all over the world