I'm curious about kits for real space stuff. Like actual probes launched into the Solar System. Voyager, Galileo, Mariner, Cassini, and so on. Any good resources out there for the real stuff?
if you have a warp nacelle from a 1:1000 TOS E kit, the bussard, a couple of domes or dishes about 2-3 inches in diameter, some spare sprue and a bit of time, you can make your own Cassini model like I did:
I can also list for you what resources I used for references, and walk you through how to make your own with the parts listed.
My vision is that I'd love to build numerous of the unmanned probes (preferably in a consistent scale). Seems like the manned space program stuff is well represented, but I'm a bit more interested in the deep space stuff. Like Cassini for example. I've found some slick looking papercraft models, which might make good reference material for building something more substantial out of plastic and metal.
I kinda think I might have to result in scratchbuilding what I want.
These are a few of the pics I used; I searched several to get the overall view and placement of Cassini's equipment and structure.
This is basically how I did mine:
I listed the base pieces on this; the rest of the onboard stuff I scratched out from stretched sprue and bits of plastic as I found them. The 3 antennae were done is thin metal wire, while I used sheet styrene for the basic flat shapes. MAsking tape was used to replicate the grid under structure of the main dish.
I drew a file for this Clementine Lunar probe with a approx 14 inch panelspan. It was made in SLA and I cleaned and painted it. I don't make a model but I can load it back onto the Shapeways and you can order a smaller one.
I'm curious about kits for real space stuff. Like actual probes launched into the Solar System. Voyager, Galileo, Mariner, Cassini, and so on. Any good resources out there for the real stuff?