ESTES LAUNCHES ANSARI X PRIZE MODEL ROCKET COLLECTION

XPrize.com reports: Estes Industries, the world leader in model rocketry, recently announced the creation of a line of flyable scaled models of ANSARI X PRIZE ships at the NATIONAL RETAIL HOBBY STORES ASSOCIATION convention in Las Vegas in mid-May. In his presentation about the X PRIZE competition at this hobby industry gathering, X PRIZE Chairman Dr. Peter Diamandis recognized “the value of models in getting young people interested in rockets and space exploration”. Gregg Maryniak, X PRIZE Executive Director, noted that “All of us at X PRIZE Foundation–and most of our registered team members–built Estes rockets during our careers. It’s a pleasure to have Estes as a new education partner.” Estes also plans a line of collectible die-casts to complement the flying models, and has devoted the Company’s entire line of new models for the coming year to the X PRIZE teams. Watch for further information at www.estesrockets.com

UPDATE: Pictures from objects (Thanks to Alan Boyle’s cosmic log)
http://www.rocketshoppe.com/images/scoop_1.jpg
http://www.rocketshoppe.com/images/scoop_2.jpg (Scaled still under negotiations)