Apogee Components, Inc

Apogee Components, Inc The first step into space is an Apogee model rocket!
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Grit and Grace DayToday we celebrate the quiet power of bouncing back with dignity. Life will knock you down, but you do...
08/09/2026

Grit and Grace Day
Today we celebrate the quiet power of bouncing back with dignity. Life will knock you down, but you don’t have to stay there. True strength shows up in how you rise—steadily, gracefully, and without losing your cool.

That same spirit lives in the NeMSAR rocket: tall, lightweight, and built for a big 24 mm motor, it looks calm on a tiny pad—then launches like it means it. One kit, endless ways to make it yours.

✓ Long, lean profile for dramatic flights
✓ Skill Level 2—simple to build, thrilling to fly
✓ Huge blank canvas for your own creative flair
✓ Lightweight balsa fins and Kevlar shock cord for durability

Ready to launch your own story of grit and grace?
👉 Grab the NeMSAR here: https://www.apogeerockets.com/Rocket-Kits/Skill-Level-2-Model-Rocket-Kits/NeMSAR

What’s one challenge you’ve faced with grit and grace? Drop it below—we’d love to cheer you on! 🚀

On this day in 1969 the Orbiting Solar Observatory 6 (OSO‑6) rode skyward from Cape Canaveral atop a Thor‑Delta N, carry...
08/09/2026

On this day in 1969 the Orbiting Solar Observatory 6 (OSO‑6) rode skyward from Cape Canaveral atop a Thor‑Delta N, carrying hard X‑ray and gamma instruments designed to listen to the Sun’s most violent moments. Engineers and scientists watched as the satellite reached orbit and began measuring solar X‑rays and gamma coincidences, delivering new data on solar flares and high‑energy space phenomena. The launch was a moment of focused curiosity — a team effort that stretched rocketry, detectors, and human imagination toward understanding our star.

OSO‑6 mattered because it proved that sustained, specialized observations of high‑energy solar events from orbit could reveal the processes behind flares and particle emissions, opening pathways for later solar observatories and space‑weather forecasting. Its findings helped refine instruments and mission concepts used in decades of solar and space‑physics research.

The Hiroc captures that same spirit of exploration and craft: HIRoc is a Skill Level 5 kit (Model 05068) that builds a 1/10th‑scale MX‑774B replica (40.13" long, 3" diameter) with simulated multi‑nozzles and an integrated threaded‑rod motor retainer designed for 29mm motors, plus a 30" nylon parachute for recovery. Building the HIRoc’s rolled nose tip, laser-cut tubes, and detailed surface work mirrors the meticulous engineering and hands‑on problem solving that teams used on OSO‑6 — blending historical scale fidelity with real flight hardware for makers who love both form and function.

Ready to take on a museum‑quality, high‑power build? Grab a Hiroc and start your journey.

Have you ever built a Skill Level 5 kit or chased a solar event with a backyard instrument — tell us your favorite mission or build!

https://www.apogeerockets.com/Model-Rocket-Kits/Skill-Level-5-Model-Rocket-Kits/Hiroc

On this day in 2001, NASA’s Genesis spacecraft rode a Delta II off Cape Canaveral, beginning a daring quest to capture a...
08/08/2026

On this day in 2001, NASA’s Genesis spacecraft rode a Delta II off Cape Canaveral, beginning a daring quest to capture and return samples of the solar wind. Engineers, scientists, and launch crews watched as the small, elegant probe was placed on its interplanetary trajectory — a mission built to skim the breath of the Sun and cradle it for study back on Earth. The launch felt like a quiet leap toward answering big questions about how planets form, with a team that included mission scientists, flight controllers, and the Discovery program personnel all holding their breath until separation and solar‑wind collection were underway.

Historically, Genesis was a watershed: it became the first U.S. mission since Apollo to return extraterrestrial material to Earth, and its collected solar‑wind compositional data gave researchers a direct fingerprint of the Sun’s makeup. That information has been fundamental to models of planetary formation and opened new avenues for comparative planetology.

The 1/15th Scale Black Brant VC captures that same spirit of exploration — it’s a Skill Level 4 kit with laser‑cut balsa and cardstock parts and jigs for fin/canard alignment, standing 23.5 inches tall when finished. Just as Genesis carried specialized collectors and careful engineering to bring back rare samples, the Black Brant VC challenges builders with optional surface‑detail steps and modular motor choices (13–29 mm) that let hobbyists simulate the careful tradeoffs of real sounding rockets.

✅ 1/15th scale fidelity
✅ Skill Level 4 challenge
✅ re‑flyable construction — it’s a hands‑on way to celebrate missions that pushed sample return and scientific discovery forward.

Grab your Black Brant VC kit today and build a tribute to the engineers and explorers who bring back the pieces of our solar system.

Have you ever attempted a Skill Level 4 model kit or attended a launch to watch a real sounding rocket? Share your favorite launch memory or model build below.

https://www.apogeerockets.com/Model-Rocket-Kits/Skill-Level-4-Model-Rocket-Kits/Black-Brant-VC

🎯 Happy Aim High Holiday! 🚀This day is a celebration of ambition, precision, and the pure joy of pushing your limits. It...
08/08/2026

🎯 Happy Aim High Holiday! 🚀

This day is a celebration of ambition, precision, and the pure joy of pushing your limits. It's about setting your sights on a distant goal and having the focus and determination to reach it. Whether it's a personal milestone, a new skill, or a project that demands your best, Aim High Holiday reminds us that the most rewarding journeys begin with a clear target and the courage to pursue it.

For rocketeers, this spirit is perfectly captured in the Kestrel. This isn't just a model rocket; it's a high-performance vehicle built for one thing: achieving spectacular goals.

The Kestrel is designed to soar. With its sleek, aerodynamic profile and efficient design, it's built to turn ambition into altitude. Whether your goal is to break the sound barrier or send a payload experiment skyward, this rocket is your tool to literally aim higher.

✅ Precision Engineering: Its streamlined design and boat tail reduce drag, maximizing performance.
✅ Versatile Power: With a 29mm motor mount and an included 24mm adapter, it can fly on a huge range of engines—from a gentle C to a supersonic G.
✅ Built for Purpose: A spacious payload bay invites experimentation, turning every launch into a potential science mission.
✅ Proven Performance: This Skill Level 3 kit delivers the thrilling payoff of a high-altitude or high-speed flight, a true reward for your building skills.

This holiday, challenge yourself. Choose a project that demands your focus and promises a spectacular result. The Kestrel represents that perfect blend of thoughtful design and thrilling ex*****on.

👉 Set your sights on the Kestrel and start your high-altitude mission: https://www.apogeerockets.com/Model-Rocket-Kits/Skill-Level-3-Model-Rocket-Kits/Kestrel

What's your "Aim High" goal for this season? Is it mastering a new build technique, reaching a specific altitude, or finally attempting that complex project? Share your targets in the comments!

🎉 Happy Summit Success Day! 🎉What does it mean to reach a summit? It’s not just about the final, glorious view from the ...
08/07/2026

🎉 Happy Summit Success Day! 🎉

What does it mean to reach a summit? It’s not just about the final, glorious view from the top. It’s about the climb—the planning, the teamwork, the moments of challenge, and the exhilarating breakthroughs that get you there. True success is built on a foundation of bold ideas and the persistence to see them through.

Ready for a build that embodies that journey? Meet the Hermes HLV—a model rocket that turns ambition into an unforgettable spectacle.

This isn't a simple single-stage flight. The Hermes HLV is a Heavy Lift Vehicle designed for a dramatic multi-motor mission. It represents the pinnacle of intermediate rocketry, where complex engineering meets thrilling payoff.

✅ The Challenge: Assemble a core vehicle with three detachable strap-on booster pods—mastering advanced clustering and staging techniques.
✅ The Teamwork: Four motors (one core, three boosters) must ignite in unison for a successful, thunderous liftoff.
✅ The Breakthrough: Witness the stunning mid-air separation as the boosters peel away, mimicking real heavy-lift launches.
✅ The Summit: Your reward is a breathtaking flight and the pride of conquering a Skill Level 3 engineering marvel.

This rocket is for the builder who sees a complex diagram and thinks, "I can do that." It’s for those who want their launch day to be a story of preparation, ex*****on, and spectacular success.

👉 Start your climb to Summit Success with the Hermes HLV: https://www.apogeerockets.com/Model-Rocket-Kits/Skill-Level-3-Model-Rocket-Kits/Hermes-HLV

🗨️ Tell us about your rocketry "summit"! What's the most complex or ambitious rocket build you've ever tackled, and what did you learn from the experience? Share your stories in the comments!

On this day in 2018 the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) team unveiled TESS’s “first‑light” full‑frame image...
08/07/2026

On this day in 2018 the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) team unveiled TESS’s “first‑light” full‑frame image, a stunning wide‑field snapshot captured just months after the spacecraft’s April launch. The TESS image itself was taken on August 7, 2018 (during a 30‑minute observation) and was publicly released by NASA on September 17, 2018. NASA scientists and engineers celebrated as that first image proved the telescope’s cameras were working as designed and began returning data across huge swaths of the sky. The release marked the opening scene of an all‑sky planet‑searching mission that would soon deliver thousands of exoplanet candidates and reshape how astronomers choose targets for follow‑up.

Historically, TESS’s first‑light image changed the game by moving exoplanet hunts from targeted observations to a systematic, near‑all‑sky survey—unlocking far more targets for ground‑ and space‑based follow‑up. It proved that a relatively small, agile satellite could survey millions of bright, nearby stars and accelerate discoveries across the field.

The Stonebreaker is the perfect hands‑on tribute to that spirit of discovery—Stonebreaker is a sleek 28.5" mid‑power kit (Skill Level 2) designed to reach high altitudes on economical C–F class motors, with laser‑cut basswood fins, a 5:1 ogive nose cone, and a large 32" parachute for safe recovery. Building and flying Stonebreaker helps aspiring rocketeers practice the same observational curiosity and iterative testing that missions like TESS used to refine instruments and collect transformational data.

Grab your Stonebreaker and launch into your own small‑scale exploration today.

Share your favorite launch or discovery memory below.

https://www.apogeerockets.com/Rocket-Kits/Skill-Level-2-Model-Rocket-Kits/Stonebreaker

🚀 Happy Gumption and Gains Day! 🚀What exactly is "Gumption and Gains"? It’s that perfect intersection of courage, resour...
08/06/2026

🚀 Happy Gumption and Gains Day! 🚀

What exactly is "Gumption and Gains"? It’s that perfect intersection of courage, resourcefulness, and the massive rewards that come from tackling a tough challenge. True growth doesn't happen in our comfort zones—it happens when we roll up our sleeves, embrace the learning curve, and push our limits!

If you’re ready to put your gumption to the test and secure some serious aerodynamic gains, we have the ultimate project for you: the International Thermal Sailor (I.T.S.)!

This isn't your average weekend build. Designed specifically to meet strict F.A.I. competition specifications for parachute duration, this Skill Level 4 masterpiece demands precision, patience, and a bit of builder's grit. But the payoff? Absolutely legendary.

✅ Grit in the Build: Master advanced techniques like rolling a structural cardstock transition shroud and sealing thin balsa fins with CA glue.
✅ Ultra-Lightweight Engineering: Built with a specialized, ultra-thin 40mm body tube and a vacuum-formed FAI-style nose cone for maximum altitude.
✅ Massive Flight Gains: Deploys a giant 32" parachute that catches thermal currents, letting your rocket sail effortlessly in the sky for incredibly long flights.
✅ Step-by-Step Video Guides: No printed manuals here! High-definition video tutorials walk you through every critical step to guarantee your flight success.

Are you ready to trade easy builds for epic flights?

Grab your International Thermal Sailor here: https://www.apogeerockets.com/Rocket-Kits/Skill-Level-4-Model-Rocket-Kits/International-Thermal-Sailor

We want to hear from you! What is the most challenging model rocket kit you’ve ever built, and what did you learn from the experience? Let us know in the comments below!

Why Rocket People Talk Like Sailors (and Probably Don't Know Why)Every time you build a model rocket, you are speaking t...
08/06/2026

Why Rocket People Talk Like Sailors (and Probably Don't Know Why)

Every time you build a model rocket, you are speaking the language of ancient mariners. "Aft closure," "bulkhead," "port side," "fairing"—all nautical terms that have been part of rocketry since the very beginning. How did the language of wooden ships and canvas sails end up on modern launch pads and in our workshops?

It started with a simple question in our shop: a customer asked where to place the static vent ports on his body tube, and it struck us—Bay? Port? These aren't modern electrical terms. They belong on a 17th-century galleon!

In our latest Peak of Flight Newsletter, we trace this 500-year-old connection from the age of sail, through the golden age of aviation, and into the workshops where we build our models. You'll see how early airplane builders borrowed the only engineering language that made sense to them, how aerospace engineers inherited it, and how you continue this tradition every time you prep a rocket for flight.

Here is a teaser of what you will discover in this article:

✔️ The nautical origins of everyday rocket terms—why we say "aft" and "forward" instead of front and back, and how that absolute coordinate system matters on a launch pad.
✔️ Why your bulkhead is really a watertight ship's partition—and how the same word protected sailing ships and now protects your altimeter from ejection gases.
✔️ The surprising stories behind fairing, fillet, hatch, jig, and boattail—shipyard words that turned skilled guesswork into repeatable precision.
✔️ The nautical callouts hiding on the Saturn V—from stations and waterlines to port and starboard, straight out of naval architecture.
✔️ Why the fuselage is literally a "little boat"—the French shipbuilding word that followed aviation into the space age.
✔️ The true meaning of "launch"—a word that once described sliding a new ship down the slipway into the sea, now echoing at every liftoff.

Ready to see your rocket vocabulary in a whole new light? Read the full article now and discover the seafaring heritage hiding in every launch!

https://www.apogeerockets.com/Peak-of-Flight/Newsletter684

On this day in 2012, NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory rover Curiosity completed a nail‑biting entry, descent and landing a...
08/06/2026

On this day in 2012, NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory rover Curiosity completed a nail‑biting entry, descent and landing and touched down at “Bradbury Landing” in Gale Crater on August 6, 2012 (UTC). After a fiery atmospheric entry and a dramatic sky‑crane lowering maneuver, the 1-ton rover gently set down — a moment watched by mission teams and millions around the world. Engineers, scientists, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory mission control breathed a collective sigh as Curiosity began transmitting images and data that would reshape our understanding of Mars. The scene combined technical daring with the quiet thrill of a new world within reach.

This landing mattered because Curiosity was the largest, most capable rover to date and it proved new entry and descent techniques could work for heavy payloads on Mars. Its success opened doors for more ambitious robotic exploration and set the stage for complex surface science aimed at assessing past habitability. The mission showed we could land bigger, instrumented explorers and conduct transformative geology and habitability studies.

Heli captures that same spirit of bold engineering and inventive recovery — with Skill Level 4 building challenge and a design for 13 mm motors, the Heli’s slow‑spinning helicopter recovery and 3D‑printed urethane nose cone celebrate clever solutions to descent and landing. Like Curiosity’s innovative sky‑crane and durable systems, the Heli rewards careful assembly and thoughtful design while delivering a dramatic, floating autorotation that delights spectators. Building and flying a model like Heli echoes the curiosity, teamwork, and engineering problem‑solving that powered the Curiosity mission.

Check out the Heli and add a show‑stopping helicopter‑recovery rocket to your next launch.

What’s your favorite Mars moment or mission — and have you ever flown a helicopter‑recovery model rocket like the Heli?


https://www.apogeerockets.com/Rocket-Kits/Skill-Level-4-Model-Rocket-Kits/Heli-Roc

On August 5, 1930, the world gained a future astronaut who would one day take the first steps on the Moon. Neil Armstron...
08/05/2026

On August 5, 1930, the world gained a future astronaut who would one day take the first steps on the Moon. Neil Armstrong’s birthday reminds us how powerful a single spark of curiosity can be — turning a young boy’s dreams into history-making achievement.

That same spirit lives on in kids and modelers today who love to push limits and explore new heights. If you’re looking for a project that captures Armstrong’s legacy of determination and daring, the EggTosser is the perfect choice.

This Skill Level 3 competition egg-lofter is engineered for serious performance:

✅ Lightweight design that flies higher with standard 18 mm motors
✅ See-through elliptical egg capsule with molded foam protection
✅ Laser-cut elliptical fins and pre-slotted body tube for perfect alignment
✅ Includes innovative fly-away rail guides for straighter, higher flights
✅ Bright-orange 18" parachute for easy tracking and recovery

Whether you’re preparing for NAR egg-lofting events or simply want to launch something extraordinary, the EggTosser delivers.

Build your own piece of aerospace history here:
https://www.apogeerockets.com/Rocket-Kits/Skill-Level-3-Model-Rocket-Kits/EggTosser

What’s one space-related dream or goal you’re working toward right now? Share it in the comments below!

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4960 Northpark Drive
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80918

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Friday 9am - 5pm

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