Half a century ago the space race started with the Soviet Union’s launching of Sputnik. The USA countered by blowing up its Vanguard on the launch pad… The Soviets countered this clever move by launching another Sputnik. In those days, Americans actually cared about what was going on in spaceflight- because American Idol was still four and a half decades away from rotting their brains. Thus the pressure was on for the USA to launch its own satellite. On the last day of January, 1958 they managed to do it. That vehicle was called Explorer I and the rocket that launched it was a slightly modified Jupiter C that some politically sensitive types insisted be called the Juno I- the name really never stuck and today most history books call it the Jupiter C. It is that vehicle that this kit represents.

This rocket is a kit and requires building- however it is one of the easiest Dr. Zooch kits to build as well as being one of the best flyers. Flights of over 1,400 feet can be had using a C6-7! NO ENGINES ARE INCLUDED IN THIS KIT. The completed rocket stands ~12 inches tall. It is single stage and parachute recovery. If you have constructed a model rocket before, you have the skills to build this one. If you’ve never constructed a model rocket before this one will help you build your skills.

The following are the Dr. Zooch skill level definitions:

Skill level 0: You have no idea what a model rocket is or does and are just reading this because you have no life and lots of time on your hands.

Skill level 1: You’ve seen model rockets before, but have never built one. In fact you do not even have a hobby knife or glue, but know where you can get such things.

Skill level 2: You have your own hobby knife and glue and know how to use each.

Skill level 3: You once slipped and cut the heck out of your finger with your hobby knife, but the folks in the emergency room knew how to re-attach it.

Skill level 4: You’ve slipped and cut yourself so many times with your hobby knife that the little “snit” sound that the blade makes when it gets you is failure, you can make a tourniquet out of a paint brush and the local emergency ward keeps blood on standby just for you.

Skill level 5: You once slipped with your hobby knife and cut off a finger, but were able to repair it yourself with stuff in your hobby tool box.

This kit is a skill level 2