Our Rockets

meet our most notable launch vehicles

ACTIVE vehicles

Mini Starhopper (semi-active)

Our flagship rocket, flying since 2019. Mini Starhopper is a small suborbital rocket capable of rapid re-flights with minimal refurbishment. It is propelled by eco-friendly water and compressed air, while recovery is done via parachute. This rocket has flown in many different configurations over the years, highlighting its versatility. For its 5th anniversary—August 3rd, 2024—the Mini Starhopper was converted to a configuration similar to its original 2019 look.

alpha iii (active)

The Estes Alpha III is one of our most frequently-flown rockets. Typically the first to fly on any given launch day, its primary mission is to provide data on wind speed and direction.

air walker (active)

One of our most versatile rockets, the Estes Air Walker is our premier payload launch vehicle. Numerous suborbital flights have been made with altimeters, a camera, and even a Lego space tourist. Acceptable payloads are those with dimensions of 15 x 15 x 80mm or less, and a weight not exceeding 30 grams.

supernova (active)

The Estes SuperNova is a two-stage payload rocket. Its powerful first stage booster enables it to reach much higher altitudes than the Air Walker. Like its single-stage cousin, it is capable of hosting a variety of payloads such as cameras or altimeters.

protostar (active)

Another Estes rocket, the ProtoStar is the first rocket in our inventory capable of using D and E motors. Suborbital flights up to nearly 300 meters are possible, although most missions are in the 150 meter range.

Big Bertha (active)

The Estes "Big Bertha" was once our largest solid-fuel rocket. Although it no longer holds that title, it is still a big vehicle, capable of lofting an AstroCam to great heights. It flies on B or C motors.

star orbiter (active)

The Estes Star Orbiter is our highest-flying rocket yet! It reached an estimated altitude of 450 meters during its inaugural flight on 8 September, 2023. It can be fitted with either E or F motors, depending on mission requirements, and can also carry payloads such as a camera or altimeter.

zephyr (active)

The Zephyr is our first high power rocket. Designed by Apogee Components, it is capable of high-altitude and high-speed flights on an H or I motor. It can also host a variety of payloads in its custom-made payload bay. This is the rocket that successfully completed our L1 Certification flight on 8 September, 2023.

doorknob (active)

The Estes "Doorknob" is a colorful and powerful rocket capable of reaching altitudes of over 300 meters. It flies on a single E or F motor.

TTV (active)

The Timer-Test-Vehicle (TTV) is one of our most-advanced rockets. Designed by Apogee Components, this two-stage rocket is designed to test various electronic sensors and flight computer configurations. Unlike AlectroSpace's other multi-stage rockets, the TTV's stage 1 motor is physically separated from the stage 2 motor. This means the stage 2 motor needs to be ignited by the onboard electronic systems, instead of hot-staging with the first stage motor.

Despite having suffered two dynamic landings of its second stage, the TTV is still flying and had its first successful 2-stage launch on 28 June, 2025.

comanche-3 (active)

Our only 3-stage rocket, this vehicle is capable of attaining great heights. The Comanche-3 had its debut flight on 17 April 2025, flying in its single-stage configuration. It will fly using 2 and eventually 3 stages in the near future.

So long (active)

The Estes "So Long" is our most powerful two-stage rocket, capable of lofting lightweight payloads to nearly a kilometer above the earth's surface. It flies on E and F class rocket motors.

Orbitron (active)

The Orbitron, another Estes design, is a mid-size rocket with the largest payload bay of its class. Ideally-suited for ride-share missions, it carries many of our newest electronic systems on suborbital flights over the launch field. It flies on C and D motors.

executioner (active)

The Executioner is an Estes rocket that stretches the definition of a low-power vehicle. Although it can fly to a respectable height on a D motor, the Executioner boasts the size of a mid-power rocket and flies best when fitted with an E motor.

Retired & expended vehicles

firefly alpha (expended)

This was our scratch-built model of Firefly Aerospace's Alpha rocket. Utilizing the cutting edge in our manufacturing capabilities, this model featured several 3D-printed sections and stood approximately 65 cm tall. In a first for AlectroSpace, the Alpha was powered by a cluster of four 13mm motors and could reach an apogee of at least 130 meters. Its maiden flight took place on 1 May, 2025. The launch was a nearly-complete success, with all four motors igniting, but the rocket was lost when it drifted into a tall tree while under parachute.

test vehicle 5 (retired)

The fifth prototype in our series of bellyflop-capable rockets, Test Vehicle 5 was the first to launch using a solid rocket motor; all previous versions were powered by compressed air. In its single-stage configuration, Test Vehicle 5 could launch to about 20 meters in altitude before flipping to a horizontal orientation for the descent phase. In its 2-stage configuration, a powerful booster stage enabled the rocket to reach even higher altitudes. Test Vehicle 5 was retired on 29 May, 2025, after its fourth flight; the vehicle suffered irreparable structural damage from a dynamic landing, following a failed stage-separation event. It has since been scrapped, with sections being reused on a replacement rocket called Test Vehicle 6.

ernst (expended)

"Ernst" was built to be our fastest and highest-flying rocket yet. Based on the Apogee "Escape Velocity" rocket, Ernst was built to launch using a wide variety of 18mm motors, ranging from an A8-5 all the way to a D20-8. However, both of its attempts at a Mach 0.9 flight ended in failure. Ernst was declared lost after its sixth overall flight, which took place on 13 September, 2025.

Google Sites

Report abuse