Artemis Orion - A Scratch Build

Here's a flying model of the Artemis Orion Spacecraft.

It's powered by a 29mm and is a Mid-Eject rocket. The display stand makes it stable in flight, and a nice desk display model when not at the field.

 

                         2026-01-31 

Created the CAD model of the body section, and planed, cut and glued the wood to turn the body.

 

 

 

2026-02-01

Turned the body of the Artemis Orion today. It was quite challenging but I've got some good workable pieces. They'll need some glue repairs, but that shouldn't be much of a challenge.

Something happened during the cryo stir, and the side of the Propulsion Stage blew out... Go figure, right?

The "snout" on top of the capsule is for a "center" in the lathe, it'll be removed once everything is finish sanded.

2026-02-02 Started gluing the side back onto the Propulsion Stage

 

 2026-02-04 

 So now that the repairs are done to the Propulsion Stage I cleaned up the counter bore of the Lower Section and then did some glue repairs to the Upper Section.

 

2026-02-05

Chucked the Upper Segment into the lathe and used a file to get the patch to conform with the body. Still needs a little work, but it's much better.

Also worked on the CAD drawings.... Rev 01 

 

 

 

2026-02-06

Cut the Motor Tube, The Ejection Gas Dowel, 4" Ring Fin and the (3) Support Fins

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Installed the Dowel into the Motor Tube, then glued it into the Lower Section using Gorilla Wood Glue. Also, flame proofed the internal counter bore of the Lower Section using some Titebond Q&T.

 

 Sounding One - Double Staged / Triple Clustered - 

                            A Scratch Build.....

 

Gary C. Rosenfield inspired this design / build:  

The rocket is a 2 stage design, and each stage has triple exposed BT-20 motor tubes.​

2026-01-27 Some progress on the CAD data

 

 2026-01-28 Here's the drawing package, rev 01

 

 

 

 

 

Space X Dragon Capsule... A Scratch Build

The Space X Dragon Capsule is such a cool design...

This one is powered by (4) 18MM motors in a tractor motor arrangement. They fit nicely in the Draco Engine pods. There's also another 18mm motor in the spool for extra thrust and to eject the spool out the rear of the rocket.​

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It's based on a 4" nominal body diameter and end up as a pretty straight forward design, should look impressive when completed.​

 

 

 

 2026-01-18 With Graphics

 

I spent a little time this afternoon formulating a plan to turn the capsule and drill the (4) canted motor holes. For me this is a huge part of the challenge of model rocketry, figuring out how to make the parts by myself, using the tools I have available in the barn.

We'll see how this "turns" out (shameless pun) and if successful, I'll knock out the rest of the drawings.

 

 

2026-01-19 Crew Capsule, Rev 02

 

Wooden Buck, Gluing

2026-01-20 Cut the Wooden Buck to size on the Table Saw.