I've enjoyed reading nostalgic posts in gopherspace. For example, John Pumford Gree's post Old Radio Magazines Spark Joy [1]. Speaking of "sparking" joy, i'll write about model rocketry.
As a kid i enjoyed constructing and launching model rockets. BiMart sold Estes kits and parts. Sadly, i don't remember which specific models i bought but i think i used a "Solar Launcher". It was powered by 4 AA batteries.
I'd assemble the rocket at home, which usually involved glue, paint, and decals. After it dried out, then i would plan a launching. At first my parents supervised, and later i launched rockets unsupervised with friends. It had an element of crafts, and an element of pyromania.
Today i discovered a collection of Estes Rocketry Catalogs [2]. I also found an archive of Model Rocketry magazine [3]. Just for fun, i am also including links to the Handbook of Model Rocketry [4], the rec.models.rockets FAQ [5], and a paper about the physics [6].
In the same park where i launched rockets, i've seen a young man operating a small UAV drone with goggles for a video feed. I suspect these are taking over the niche once held by rockets.
It's interesting to compare and contrast. A UAV with goggles & video feed goes for about $600. Estes' Mini Alpha Starter Set is currently on sale for $13.50. This includes the rocket, launcher, 4 engines, and 4 starters.
A rocket is brutally minimal in comparison to a UAV's capabilities, but taking an active interest could keep it fun. One could detail the rocket, model the physics, estimate the altitude reached, and maybe even segue into sliderules [7].