Once again, American engineers and astronauts are being put to the test as they work towards answering the call to land humans on Mars by 2033. And just as we did in 1958, Estes will once again answer the call to bring the space race directly into the hands and homes of budding astronauts and space enthusiasts from around the globe.
Meet the first release in Estes’ series Destination Mars, the Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV)! This lightweight, fully decorated, easy-to-assemble Beginner rocket will delight kids and adults alike as they follow NASA’s achievements as they work towards reaching the next frontier. Imaginations may soar to Mars, but this MAV stays in the earth’s atmosphere, reaching heights of 250 feet on a C6-3 engine. Perfect for smaller launch sites, this makes the MAV a great flyer for those looking to bring a heightened learning experience to their aerospace and outer space educational programs.
WHAT YOU NEED TO BUILD: Pencil, plastic cement and masking tape. (Tools, construction and finishing supplies not included.)
WHAT YOU NEED TO LAUNCH (sold separately): Estes Porta-Pad II Launch Pad and Electron Beam Launch Controller, Estes model rocket engines, starters and recovery wadding. Four 1.5V high quality AA alkaline batteries are also required for launch controller (not included).
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Brittany Mitchell –
Beautiful rocket, but should not be flown on a small field with a C6-3 as the description reads.
Brittany Mitchell –
The only good thing about the MAV was the nose cone design and the parachute. Beautiful rocket, but it’s forever in a tree! We launched on the recommended C6-3 on a small field (baseball field). There was definitely no way it went 250 feet…must’ve been at least 300 or 400 feet. We’ve launched here many times with no issues, but this MAV on this engine and on this type of field is a no go. If I am to get another MAV, then it’ll be on a smaller engine or put up on the shelf.
Robert Abrams (verified owner) –
To answer the question about B6-4s – yes, we fly this with them all the time in our small launch site. It gets pretty close to the ground before the parachute fully deploys so I’m sure Estes sees it as a safety/liability issue to list B6-4s as an approved engine. This is a great, slow take-off rocket that seems more solidly built than the standard beginner rockets. My kids love it. For small launch sites where you still want the noise and show from a B or C engine, this thing is perfect.
Rockets :3 –
Does the B6-4 engine work on this? :3
Joseph –
Cool rocket design but flies like a brick on the recommended motor. Estes needs to stop designing kits and recommending a motor that the kit weight exceeds.