Man, I sure wish that you would have announced this earlier in the year so those of us who run Summer Rocket Camps, Scouts, and 4H clubs etc. could have used this.
Inspired by the imaginative worlds of Jules Verne, Estes designer Saron Bhoopathy transformed the Design2Fly Builder Kit into a richly detailed custom rocket named Nautilus. His design pairs a classic retro silhouette with layered fins, exposed conduits, riveted accents, and an inventive use of nearly every part he could find.
We asked Saron to share the inspiration, experimentation, and creative decisions behind his build.
What inspired the concept for your rocket, and how did that initial idea evolve as you began building?
I was inspired by the steampunk aesthetic, specifically the work of Jules Verne. The rocket even bears the name of the submarine in his novel Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.
One of my goals for this challenge was to use as many of the included parts as possible, often in unexpected ways. The layered, maximalist nature of steampunk design gave me the perfect opportunity to do that.
Several elements evolved once I began building, particularly the fins. My original design featured gears cut directly into the fins, which can be seen in the build photos. As I refined the concept, I decided to remove the gear cutouts and create separate inserts using pages from the included booklet. I then attached the gears to those inserts.
The revised approach gave the details a cleaner, more polished appearance while preserving more fin area and improving the rocket’s stability.
How did the parts included in the Design2Fly Kit influence the shape, features, or overall direction of your design?
I wanted to use the parts in unconventional ways and inspire other builders to look beyond their intended purpose.
For example, I cut one of the BT-55 nose cones and used it as a boattail, giving the rocket a classic, retro silhouette. I used launch lugs as external conduits to reinforce the steampunk aesthetic. To create the fin pods, I layered pieces of the included balsa together before sanding them into shape.
The variety of parts gave me the freedom to experiment and allowed the design to develop in ways I might not have considered when working from a conventional rocket plan.
Did any of the parts spark an unexpected idea or lead you in a direction you had not originally planned?
Yes. Several of the decorative elements, including the riveted fin frames and rivet bands, were created from layered pages of the booklet included with the kit. That was not part of my original design, but the idea emerged during the prototyping process.
I also wanted to give the nose cone a more distinctive profile. To create it, I removed the tip from one of the included BT-20 nose cones and attached it to a small section of BT-20 body tube. That relatively simple modification became one of the rocket’s defining visual features.
Which detail or design choice are you most proud of, and what makes it special to you?
There are two aspects of the finished rocket that make me especially proud.
The first is the overall color scheme. The combination of metallic tones, dark finishes, and carefully placed accents helped bring the steampunk concept together. I am very happy with how cohesive the finished rocket feels.
The second is the unconventional use of the parts. I enjoyed finding creative solutions to the modeling and engineering questions that came up during the build.
For example, I needed to shape pieces of balsa so they would follow the curve of the body tube. I used an ammonia based cleaning solution to soften the balsa fibers, which allowed the pieces to bend into the shape I needed. Discovering and applying techniques like that was one of the most rewarding parts of the process.
What advice would you give someone opening a Design2Fly Kit and creating a custom rocket for the first time?
Do not be afraid to step outside your comfort zone and try something different. You will learn something new along the way, just as I did, and you will be able to carry those new skills into future projects.
Trust yourself, stay open to where the process takes you, and give yourself the freedom to experiment. You may be surprised by what you create, and the result will be something that is entirely your own.
From First Sketch to Final Flight
Saron’s build evolved through sketches, prototypes, material experiments, and carefully considered refinements. Explore the gallery below for a closer look at the ideas, techniques, and details that brought Nautilus to life.
From early fin concepts and handcrafted details to finishing and final assembly, follow the evolution of Saron’s steampunk inspired Design2Fly creation.
What Will You Create?
The Design2Fly Builder Kit gives you an assortment of rocket parts and the freedom to decide what they become. Take inspiration from Saron’s build, explore your own ideas, and create a rocket that could only come from you.
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