| | [Not displaying correctly? View web version.] | Peak-of-Flight Newsletter #603: | | 
In this issue of the Peak of Flight Newsletter, author Martin Jay McKee takes a deep dive into the factors that affect which battery may be best suited for use with rocket electronics. As is so often the case, there is not one right answer to the question, “Which battery should I use for my electronics?” as there are many factors to consider including the size of your payload bay, required power levels (both voltage and current) for your electronics and igniters, the overall environment (temperature, humidity, etc.), the number of flights that can be done per charge, and more. This article examines many of the possible factors in choosing a battery in an effort to assist in making an informed decision. | | Read the rest of this week's article, either on a downloadable PDF for printing out, or on our website (great for viewing on your phone)! Previous issues of our newsletter are found at our archive page. |
| Check out the latest products to hit Apogee's shelves! | Apogee TTV Rocket | | 
The new "Timer Test Vehicle" (TTV) is specifically designed to give you an economical way to try out your electonic staging timers before you commit to putting them in an expensive high power rocket. Flying 2-stages with small composite motors is a cheap and effective way to learn the skills you'll need to take your big rockets to spectacular heights. This rocket is a marvel of engineering, with lots of features packed into a small rocket. It includes an electronics bay, ejection baffle, through-the-wall-fins, laser-cut plywood centering rings, and two nylon cloth parachutes. It can also be used to test dual-deployment electronics, or a Jolly Logic Chute release. You can get this rocket today here!
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| Estes So Long | |  For extreme attitudes, the So Long two-stager can reach over 3600 feet on a combination of two F15 motors – that’s more than two-thirds of a mile high! The kit includes a large payload section so you can send your high-altitude experiments aloft. And for safe returns, the two bright orange streamers are easy to spot and designed to bring your rocket down quickly – don’t let this one drift away! A simple but rugged design means a fun build that you’ll be launching in no time. Get this fun 2-stage rocket here.
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| Aerotech J615 Aerospike Nozzle Motor | | 
The new Aerotech J615 reload motor is the first model rocket motor using an aerospike nozzle! The primary advantage of an aerospike nozzle is its ability to maintain high efficiency at varying altitudes. Aerospike engines are the baseline engines for many single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) designs. This new motor also features the "super thunder" propellant formulation, and comes with an adjustable delay grain. Be the first in your club to get this historic high-power rocket motor.
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| Simple Timer For Staging | | 
The new Simple Timer from Apogee Components controls ignition of upper stages by setting a time from liftoff when the air-started motor should ignite. Its built-in logic prevents ignition of the upper stage if the rocket goes unstable or is tilted more than 45° from vertical at the time of ignition. This new version of the device now includes an apogee deployment channel for extra safety, so you don't need a separate altimeter in the rocket. If you want to stage high power rockets, this is what you need. It is also great for high-drag rockets (like spools and pyramids shapes) that need a quick ejection at apogee.
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| North Coast's Argo D4 Javelin | | 
North Coast Rocketry has released a 1/17th scale version of Argo D4 Javelin. The real rocket that this is based on was a four stage beast which consisted of an Honest John military rocket as the first stage, topped by two surplus Nike booster motors in tandem, and finally an Altair X-248 top-most stage (that did not have fins), which was adapted from the Vanguard program. But this model rocket kit is much simpler, just a single stage using a high-thrust 24mm diameter motor. It is a beautiful model that is sure to make all your rocketry friends very jealous.
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"So Long" Soars Over Champions This week, the World Space Modeling Championships are being held in Texas. Take a look at the launch site where the contestants are trying to win gold medals for their country. In this Launch Visualizer simulation, we're not launching a competition rocket, but the new Estes So Long. It is being flown on a combination of F15-0 to a F15-8. Do you see any corrections you'd make to the set-up to assure the flight is safe and successful? |
| Customer Testimonials: “Ordering from Apogee is great! Their knowledge to help with your questions is wonderful. They will get you going in the right direction. Their inventory is beyond belief. I have found in the past that is someone doesn't have it in stock, they usually do. Can't say enough about them.” -- Randy Myers | |
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 I'm now actively seeking writers for articles to appear in this newsletter. And I want unique and cutting-edge articles because that is what you want to read, right? I realize this, so to get articles from outside writers that have the same level of quality, I'm going to have to pay a lot of cash to make it worth it for them. So I've come up with a compensation package where I'll pay up to $350 for good how-to articles. Are you a writer, and does that interest you? That is a lot of cash! Far more than you'll get by writing for other magazines. And with over 23,000 worldwide subscribers, if you write for the Peak-of-Flight Newsletter, you'll gain a lot of notoriety. Writing for the Peak-of-Flight Newsletter is a great way to show off your rocketry projects and your technical expertise, at the same time as helping out other rocketeers. Imagine how great you'll feel knowing that you made a difference to the hobby. If you're interested in writing, see the guidelines on our site. | |
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