Satellite History models?

[Yipper1]

Has anyone ever done any paper models of the historical old satellites of yesteryears?
I think it would be great to start a series of models of old satellites that made history from the past! Like Telstar, TIROS, Syncom, Relay, Nimbus, Pioneer, Luna, etc.

[umtutsut]

Some of those you mentioned already exist. Try browsing these links:

Niels papermodels

Ariespapermodels

The Lower Hudson Valley Paper Model E-Gift Shop

pe2tr Card models

Les (Friendly Airplane Asylum & ex-NASA flack)

[Yipper1]

I mean the ones in those series, that have not been covered. Telstar for instance has never been done, and yet it was the 1st commercial satellite. Sputnik 1,2 & 3 have been done, especially Sputnik 1; that has been done by a number of people. Explorer 1 has been done by 2 or 3 people, but not Explorer 2,3,4... Pioneer 1 has been done, but not 3,4...
and all the other satellites that have significant historical OR unique value, those are the ones that would be nice to see. Thanks for those links though, as I have not checked them for a few months.

[ETG]

Hi folks, I'm back again.
Forgot my login info so I started from scratch again ! ;-)

I am working on a new version of Pioneer 4. The old model was too rough and not detailed enough. If possible, I try to make a model of the real flown hardware, so very often my models do not look like the demo version.
For example, the real Pioneer 4 had a brass color, while all other pictures show a white satellite with black stripes.
As far as Explorer 1 is concerned, I am making a whole new one !
More accurate in both dimensions and - especially - colors. For a while I have also been working on a new project: MiniSats. The MiniSat series are small and very simple models of satellites. No exact scale. All parts fit onto one page. The models have very little detail, but if built properly, a nice looking collection can be made.

Keep checking my website. I have also added some models, recently.

www.ariespapermodels.nl

Cheers.

________
Erik.

[ETG]

...oh....before I forget....The first four Explorers were identical in shape. On the outside the colors were somewhat different, on the inside they all had different measuring instruments. From a distance they all looked alike.
I can't find many reasons for making a model of all four of them. But Explorer 3 had that nice JPL logo on it. Adds a nice touch, makes the model more interesting. ;-)

_______
Erik

[ETG]

For all Telstar fans out there : I have a 1:8 model of Telstar, but if you ever want to build it, remember it is a beast to assemble.
Your patience will be tested....... |-)
I have made several test builds already and sometimes I just have to get away from the model to protect myself from going mad.
There are 72 trapezium parts to be scored and cut. Three of them are connected, so 24 segments have to be scored, then folded into a round shape.
If even one line has been scored or cut wrongly, two or three others can't be positioned properly, either. This means that it was almost impossible to design a proper fitting model, since I don't have sophisticated
software to do the difficult work for me.
Pythagoras was a daily visitor, for many days. And my printer never got tired of eating stacks of paper. Alas...I still
think I did not get the shape quite right.... Sigh.... In this case too, finding good drawings was (next to) impossible.
So....don't worry if you can't assemble the model and come up with a decent result. I never could, so you can feel proud if you do ! ;-)

I shall add another page to my website called "On the drawing board". I shall add some previews of the models I am working on.


___________
Erik

[umtutsut]

Interestingly, the actual Pioneer 4 seems to have far fewer, more subdued stripes then the replicas. See these pix of the satellite mounted atop the LV:

Solar System Exploration: Multimedia: Gallery: Spacecraft Images: Pioneer 4 on Top

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...r_4_on_top.jpg

Les (Friendly Airplane Asylum & ex-NASA flack)

[Yipper1]

Hi ETG, Do you have a link for the download of the TELSTAR model? If so I would like to give it a go!

[ETG]

Yipper,

Thanks for reminding me about Telstar.

The new model of Explorer 1 is almost done. I am working on the last testbuild. Hopefully the last. Looks great, thus far.
And it looks MUCH better than my older version.

As far as Telstar is concerned: I decided to redraw the model, because I am NOT happy with the shape of the model
at all ! I shall try my best to finish the model this year. Yes...TRY to finish it this year. It's THAT much work.

The model I have right now is as good as finished, but the shape is just wrong. It just doesn't look right.
Too oval. Should be rounder. I can do that, but it takes time. Once I get the large parts to fit, it's a matter of copying
and pasting the parts from the first one.

Since last week I have a new PC and I am in the process of copying all the files from my old to my new PC.
And I am lucky that PSP 6 also works on Windows 8. Maybe should have chosen W 7.
I am not very happy with Windows 8. But as long as PSP 6 works, it's okay.

________
Erik.