Vernon Estes (usually referred to as Vern), born January 4, 1930, is the founder and namesake of

Estes Industries Estes Industries is a model rocket company that was started in Denver, Colorado, USA. The company was the first to mass-produce model rocket engines with consistent and reliable performance. It is popular among hobbyists of experimental amateur ...

, the highly recognized

model rocket A model rocket are small rockets designed to reach low altitudes (e.g., for model) and be recovered by a variety of means. According to the United States National Association of Rocketry (NAR) Safety Code, model rockets are constructed of p ...

production company, headquartered in

Penrose, Colorado Penrose is a census-designated place (CDP) and post office located in and governed by Fremont County, Colorado, United States. The CDP is a part of the Cañon City, CO Micropolitan Statistical Area. The Penrose post office has the ZIP Code 812 ...

. In 1957, G. Harry Stine and Orville Carlisle founded the first model rocket company, Model Missiles Incorporated, in

Denver, Colorado Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...

. By 1959, the demand for rocket engines was too great for their production capabilities, so they sought out an external supplier. The Estes family business was the first fireworks company listed in the Denver phone book. Their son, Vern, took it upon himself to find a way to mechanize the production of rocket engines. He assembled a machine which he named "Mabel," capable of producing a rocket engine every 5.5 seconds. The machine was powered by compressed air and hydraulics, which was a much safer choice than electricity. Model Missiles, Inc. was forced to fold due to a number of unwise business decisions. Although a model rocketry supplier had disappeared, the market still existed, and Estes formed his own company, Estes Industries, to fill this market. His first kit was the Astron Scout, a simple design that was so small it fit inside the cardboard tubes used for shipping rocket engines. In 1961, Estes moved his company to a facility near

. Although he sold his interest in

in 1969, he remains active in model rocketry and occasionally attends launch events. He also helped start the

National Association of Rocketry The National Association of Rocketry (NAR) is a non-profit tax-exempt scientific organization dedicated to consumer safety, youth education, and the advancement of technology in the hobby of sport rocketry in the United States. Founded in 1957, t ...

, and also helped make the Model Rocket Safety Code.

References

*Craddock, Robert A. "Mr. Estes Comes to Washington." ''Air&Space/Smithsonian, October/November 2000, pp. 18-19. * "Space Age Legends." ''Launch Magazine, September/October 2006, pp. 24–33, 60–1.

External links

Dear Mr. Estes
a website for Vern's proposed book of the same name.
Vintage Estes Rockets
A website for collectors of Vintage Estes K-Kit Rockets.
Name That Vern
a tribute to Vern Estes and his influence on Model Rocketry. {{DEFAULTSORT:Estes, Vernon 1930 births Model rocketry People from Fremont County, Colorado Living people