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Frequently Asked Questions


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What models does SCI offer?

What are they made of?

Why paper?

Does dampness affect the models?

Are there discounts for teachers?

How long does it take to put one together?

If I order today, when will it arrive?

Which is the easiest one to build?

Can a 9-year old build one?

What else do I need to build an SCI kit?

Why don't you make a Cassini SCI kit?

Can you help me find a model of (-----) ?

I've looked all over for a Mattel Hot Wheels Mars Pathfinder. Does SCI offer them?

When will there be a new SCI kit?

Is it safe to order on the internet?

Will my mailing address be sold to someone else?

Can SCI make a model of my spacecraft?

I have a different question.


 


What models does SCI offer?

  • SCI offers these unique model kit designs:
    • Mars Polar Lander: The Mars Polar Lander was to touch down on Mars December 3, 1999. This new kit is simpler, smaller, and less expensive than the other SCI KITs. It doesn't contain any information sheets, just the model and instructions. This is the easiest SCI KIT to assemble.
    • Voyager: Voyager-1 and Voyager-2 are identical spacecraft which today are exploring the outer reaches of our solar system. Voyager-1 and -2 encountered Jupiter and Saturn; Voyager-2 encountered Uranus and Neptune. Neither spacecraft will ever return to the Sun, but will drift in the galaxy forever. NASA expects to maintain contact and control of both Voyagers until about 2020.
    • Magellan: Our first detailed look at the entire surface of Venus, our perpetually clouded sister world, was accomplished by NASA's Magellan spacecraft using radar imaging, altimetry, radiometry, gravity field mapping, and radio science.
    • Hubble Space Telescope: SCI's most popular model. HST orbits high above Earth's atmosphere to provide unparalelled views of distant objects.
    • Galileo: Orbiting Jupiter today, the Galileo spacecraft is exploring the Jovian world, its four large satellites, its magnetic environment. Upon arrival at Jupiter, Galileo released and tracked a separate probe into Jupiter's atmosphere.
    • Mars Global Surveyor: Currently orbiting Mars, MGS is using aerobraking to change the shape of its orbit, and it is returning unprecidented, detailed views of Mars's surface.
    • Lunar Prospector: In orbit around Earth's Moon, Lunar Prospector made headlines with its discovery of water frozen within the dark craters at the lunar poles.
    • Keck Telescope: Twin telescopes atop Mauna Kea in Hawaii use a revolutionary active optics system to achieve the largest aperture currently in existance.

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What are they made of?




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Why paper?

  • It's the perfect medium for spacecraft models! Spacecraft like Voyager were designed to minimize mass while maximizing strength. Laser-cut paper lets SCI do the same thing! You'll find intricate trusses and structures reproduced. There are major advantages to using laser-cut paper. One is that we can apply lithography and metal-foil bonding techniques, making sure all the proper colors and details are present in your kit, without your having to paint them in. Another advantage is that the parts can be labeled for your convenience in assembly. The glue is non-toxic. Paper is a relatively easy material to work with. The use of 100% recycled paper is another advantage: look what's become of your discarded phone book! Also, paper products are perfectly suited for fast delivery by first class mail.



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Does dampness affect the models?

  • In general, avoid letting your assembled SCI Kit models get wet. Otherwise, high humidity is usually not a problem, although if you have chosen to assemble your Voyager model using the full-length Magnetometer Boom, it can be prone to sagging if the humidity is high. To minimize this effect, you might choose to suspend your completed Voyager in such a way that the Magnetometer Boom points straight down. Otherwise, you might wish to assemble your Voyager model using the half-scale length Magnetometer Boom. The other models seem to do well no matter what the ambient humidity.



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Are there discounts for teachers?

  • Yes. And for clubs or other groups. There's a price break for ten or more. Contact SCI for information.



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How long does it take to put one together?

  • The new, simpler, smaller Mars Polar Lander kit can be assembled in an hour or two at most. The Lunar Prospector is the next easiest, requiring maybe three or four hours minimum. Voyager, Galileo, HST, and Magellan take an hour or two longer than that. The Keck Telescope requires the most time, perhaps a couple of days.



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If I order today, when will it arrive?

  • Orders are usually sent out within a day or two, a week at most. During the month of December, your order is shipped the same day we receive it. If anything is out of stock, we'll let you know right away (this is rare). Out of stock items may take up to 8 weeks. Shipments all go by First Class Mail (Priority Mail if selected) or Air Mail for international shipment. So, shipment takes another two or three days (overseas Air Mail may take up to 8 days). We do not offer overnight shipment.



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Which is the easiest one to build?

  • That's easy. MPL, Mars Polar Lander, with its eleven laser-cut parts. A close second is the Lunar Prospector. It has 23 laser-cut parts. LPM is a fairly simple spacecraft. Some parts have built-in hooks to aid assembly. Really, the hardest part is waiting for the glue to dry. Actually, the Voyager kit has 23 parts, too, complete with hooks and all, so it's not too hard. Working with Voyager's styrofoam High Gain Antenna dish, and different glues, adds a little complexity, though.



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Can a 9-year old build one?

  • Depends. SCI KITs are designed to show you what comprises a space-exploring machine, and how it works. They are complex machines, and the model kits involve lots of reading. So, generally, we recommend them for people no younger than about 12 years old. Motivation and ability are certainly factors, though. A younger person who is driven to learn about space exploration, who has reading skill, and who has enjoyed building detailed models before, will also be sure to enjoy SCI KITs.



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What else do I need to build an SCI kit?




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Why don't you make a Cassini SCI kit?




| TOP OF FAQ PAGE |



 


Can you help me find a model of (-----) ?




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I've looked all over for a Mattel Hot Wheels Mars Pathfinder.
Does SCI offer them?




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When will there be a new SCI kit?

  • Dave Doody designs the models. He's a pretty slow-moving guy (hey, but the designs are great). There's usually a new one every 18 months or so. There's really no telling WHAT the next one is going to be, but rumor has it Dave listens to what customers suggest.



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Is it safe to order on the internet?




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Will my mailing address be sold to someone else?




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Can SCI make a model of my spacecraft?




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I have a different question.




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