It was a relatively quiet week here at Apogee. We did release our Peak-of-Flight Newsletter Issue #604. This edition contained the second and final part of Tim's article on his learnings from the World SpaceModeling Championships held near Austin, Texas.

In it, you'll find out what the typical attendee and spectators would be doing during the event. And you'll get a glimpse of the intensity of the competition where the clock and the weather add to the frustrations of misfires and preparation failures. You'll also learn a little bit about thermal hunting, which is looking for those elusive rising columns of warm air that can really boost your rocket's performance. Then finally, you'll discover the team strategy that the USA used to win several gold medals.

Also in this issue: Tim's Messy Desk Blog

I got asked a fundamental question by a customer that came to our shop recently. They asked how I stay focused on rocketry and how I keep up my level of passion for it after being in the hobby for decades. l shared my secret sauce and maybe it is something you're already doing too to stay motivated.

We're trying something new in order to celebrate the readers of our newsletter. Every week, we plan on giving away a free kit (shipping not included) to those subscribers that interact with our newsletter by clicking on the links. This week we gave out an Air Mail rocket kit. We notified the winner via email.

Next Tuesday will be the Antares Explorer kit. Be sure to check your email box.

Swingshot Rocket Glider Unbox Video

On Wednesday, we released a video showing the unboxing of the SwingShot RC glider from J&H Aerospace. Opening it up, we discovered some really unique things about it, which make us excited to build and fly it.

Rocketry Tool of the Month - Dental Spatula

Our August Tool-of-the-Month is something we had made specifically for us. It is a dual use tool that you will find exceptionally useful in your rocketry projects. One end of this tool features a finely-crafted dental spatula, ideal for mixing and precision application of adhesives (like RocketPoxy), filler putty, or thinning out wood filler with water. You'll find that it mixes everything thouroughly and quickly, especially if you are using small amounts like you typically use in rocket construction. Since this tool is stainless steel, clean up is a breeze. You can wipe it off immediately after use, or let the adhesive harden and simply scrape it off with a hobby knife.

On the other end, you'll discover a specialized scraper or chisel, engineered to remove excess materials, smooth out surfaces, and refine intricate details on your rocket model. It is razor sharp, and can be sharpened if it become dull.

This dual-functionality makes it an invaluable companion during assembly and finishing stages of rocket constructin, enabling you to achieve professional-grade results every time.

While you can buy it separately, you can have this tool free when you order $75 worth of other merchandise before August 31st. Visit this link for additional instructions to claim your free dental scaler.

What is Coming Up Next Week?

Our newsletter next week will have the fourth part in the assembly of the TTV rocket kit. This one is a lot of fun, because you'll see the intricate engineering that went into the development of the engine mount that connects to the ebay sled. In this episode, the ebay is assembled and then an odd-looking framework is attached to one end. This framework acts as a spacer and places the engine mount tube the correct distance from the ebay so that the ejection charge gasses pass through the intigrated baffle correctly. The framework also has a blast plate that protects the igniter runway tube from the heat of the ejection charge. It looks complicated, but when you put it together piece by piece in a jigsaw-like manner, it becomes a piece of artwork. Too bad you can't see it once the model is completely assembled. It is one of those curious things you'll have fun describing to your friends on the rocket range.

I'll see you in your email in-box next Tuesday.