In space flight, the first 100 miles are the toughest. Ittakes an enormous amount of energy to climb out of Earth’sgravity and accelerate to orbital speeds. But it’s at lowearth orbit, or LEO, where most satellites operate.

Enter the LEO Space Train, an innovative, reusable wingedspace plane now under development by the U.S. aerospace industry.It’s designed to travel to the edge of space where itreleases a piggy-back mounted, second-stage booster. After release, thebooster ignites and places the satellite payload into LEO. The LEOSpace Train can be launched, recovered, and prepped for a new orbitaldelivery mission all in the same day.

This impressive model rocket is filled with eye-catchingfeatures that you’ll enjoy bringing to life. The Estes LEOSpace Train kit includes precision-cut balsa fin and wing panels withlaser-etched details. The non-functional booster attaches to the uppersurface of the main body-tube on miniature launch rails. It looks likeit could separate and lift away at any moment! Authentic-lookingplastic engine nozzles adorn the tail ends of both the powered hostrocket and the non-powered booster. Finally, a sheet of colorful waterslide decals with the custom LEO Space Train “lion”graphic and logo adds that last touch of realism.

While the real-life counterpart to the LEO Space Train glideshome to a wheels-down landing, the finished Estes kit launches andlands as a traditional model rocket. This scale-like model can reach upto 300 feet (91 meters) on a single-stage C6-3 engine before returninggently to Earth under its own 18-inch parachute. The highly detailedLEO Space Train look great on the pad and on display. You’lldefinitely want this one in your fleet!

WHAT YOU NEED TO BUILD: Scissors, pencil, ruler, finesandpaper, yellow glue, plastic cement, sanding block, hobby knife,masking tape, clear tape, primer (white), paint (black, light gray) andclear coat (optional). (Tools, construction and finishing supplies notincluded.)

WHAT YOU NEED TO LAUNCH (sold separately): Estes Porta-Pad IILaunch Pad with a 1/8 inch launch rod and Electron Beam LaunchController, Estes model rocket engines, starters and recovery wadding.Four 1.5V high quality AA alkaline batteries are also required forlaunch controller (not included).