| This past week, we released two videos in the construction sequence of the TTV rocket kit. The first video showed how to attached the shock cord and the parachute in the booster stage. In the second video, we mounted the timer electronics into the tray of the upper stage. This "timer" does two things. First, it senses lift-off of the rocket and ignites the upper stage rocket motor. If the motor fails to ignite in flight, the other function of the timer is to fire off an alternate ejection charge that pushes out the parachute. That way, the rocket comes in safely. On Tuesday, we released our collectible 2023 Christmas Ornament. We make these every year to remind us of the experiences we've had launching rockets throughout the year. I can look at last year's ornament, and recall the fun times from year's past. It also subtle reminder for our family of the types of gifts we like to see under the Christmas tree. This is a free gift for you if you place an order by December 1. Just use coupon code "Holiday2023" at checkout when you place an order. On Wednesday, we snuck in another new product to our webstore. It is our new Single-Cell Li-Po battery charger that plugs into a USB port on your computer. That makes it very convenient for charging your batteries for dual-deployment. It has the special JST connector that fits the dual-deployment batteries that we sell. And best yet, the price is less than half of the old one we used to carry. This is a win-win for everyone! I did an interview with Paul Kaup from the STEM+C foundation in Arizona. He wanted to know a little history of Apogee, and some advice for his students that are in the ARC school competition. The YouTube video is online now if you'd like to listen in. I highly recommend it for students in the egg-lofting contests. This afternoon (Friday) at 2 p.m. Mountain Time Zone, we'll have our regularly scheduled livestream on YouTube called Rocksim Live. Have your questions ready, and we'll discover together all the cool things that RockSim can do. November Rocketry Tool of the Month - Curved Decal Scissors Our November Tool-of-the-Month is the perfect scissors for trimming around the edges of water slide decals. Here are the unique benefits of these scissors: Surgical Grade Stainless Steel: Crafted from top-quality surgical-grade stainless steel, our scissors are built to last. The robust stainless steel construction ensures longevity and corrosion resistance, making them the ideal choice for rocketry enthusiasts who demand nothing but the best.
Curved Tip Design: The curved tip of these scissors is specifically engineered for intricate and precise cutting tasks. The unique curvature allows you to navigate tight corners and make detailed cuts with ease, ensuring your rocket decals are flawlessly trimmed.
Ergonomic Comfort: Designed with your comfort in mind, these scissors feature ergonomic handles that offer a comfortable grip, reducing hand fatigue during extended cutting sessions. You'll have full control and precision every time you use them.
Versatile Application: While perfect for cutting out decals from their sheet, these scissors are also versatile enough for a wide range of hobby and craft projects. Whether you're working with paper, vinyl, or other materials, our Curved-Tip Scissors are up to the task.
Compact and Portable: Measuring just the right size, our small scissors can be easily stashed in your toolkit or rocketry rangebox, making them the perfect on-the-go companion for any modeling adventure. We only have a limited supply in stock. In the last two months, we sold out of our Tool-of-the-Month too quickly. So be sure to order early to get yours. Once they are sold out, this offer is over. Why are we offering this Tool-of-the-Month? We believe that if you find construction of rockets fun, easy, hassle free, and that it goes quicker because you have some simple tools in your arsenal, you'll stick with rocketry for a longer time. You'll have the skills to make really great rockets, and you'll want to show off your models to other modelers. You win because you have a more enjoyable experience, and we win because you'll be a customer well into the future. We're investing in your skills, because we want you to be our customer for a lifetime. And maybe you'll recommend us to your rocketry friends and any newbies that you mentor. While you can buy this set of drill bits separately, you can have them free when you order $80 worth of other merchandise before November 30st. Visit this link for additional instructions to claim your free machinist square. What is Coming Up Next Week? In our next issue of the Peak-of-Flight newsletter, coming next Tuesday, we'll have an article about helicopter hub design use on helicopter recovery rockets. It has a survey of a lot of the different types of hubs that were used in the past, and then makes some predictions of what might be possible in the future. It is pretty interesting reading. Next week Thursday is "Thanksgiving" Day in the USA. We will be out of the office that day, but we will be here the next day: called "Black Friday." If you are off from work on Black Friday, schedule some afternoon time to be with us as we have a special "RockSim Live" session on YouTube. Martin will be talking about altimeters and you'll be able to ask him all your questions about which one you should select for your next rocketry project. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel to be notified. Hopefully the SpaceX Starship will have launched by then, and we can talk about that big event too. Check your email inbox next Tuesday. | 