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Estes 1469 Tandem X Rocket-Building Kit, Beginner Flying-Rocket Model Kit for Ages 10+, Includes Launch Pad and Controller

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Availability: Only 5 left in stock, order soon!
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Arrives Friday, Oct 23
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Features

  • SAFETY FIRST, FUN ALWAYS: Our rockets and rocket launch accessories are designed to be used with the NAR (National Association of Rocketry) model-rocket safety code. Always ensure you have an appropriate launch site, stand back at least 15 ft., insert the safety key, issue a countdown, and then you can let your rocket fly!
  • WE IGNITE IMAGINATIONS: Since 1958, Estes has created educational rocket kits and displays designed for an unforgettable aerospace experience. As a family-owned company, we have grown to offer exciting STEM products that engage aspiring rocketeers and the future minds of aerospace.

Description

The Estes Tandem-X Rocket Launch Set encourages beginner model-rocket enthusiasts to shoot for the stars. This rocket launch set includes the easy-to-assemble Amazon rocket model and the high-performance Crossfire ISX rocket model. The Amazon is quick to build with precolored plastic parts and self-stick graphics. The Crossfire ISX is a perfect next step with laser-cut wood fins and self-stick decals. Designed for adults and kids ages 10+ (supervision recommended for ages under 12), this rocket-model duo can inspire any STEM enthusiast as they soar to impressive altitudes. The Amazon model is 30" tall and hits 600+ ft. with a C6-5 rocket engine, and the Crossfire ISX measures 15.6" tall and hits 1,150 ft. with a C6-7 engine. All Estes rocket engines are sold separately. If you’re looking for Christmas gift ideas or outdoor STEM activities for aspiring rocketeers or young scientists, the 1469 Tandem-X Rocket Launch Set is a great opportunity for experiential learning about physics, engineering, and aerospace. This rocket-launching set includes the reusable parts for launch, including a cone, a body tube, and a recovery parachute. Both of these high-flying models take off from the included sturdy Porta-Pad II Launch Pad by push-button command from the Electron Beam Controller. To build and launch each rocket, you will need a compatible Estes model-rocket engine, Starters, Recovery Wadding, 4 high- quality 1.5-volt AA alkaline batteries for launch use, and any extra materials listed in the directions (sold separately). Always follow the NAR (National Association of Rocketry) model-rocket safety code during operation. Estes rocket kits are built from the highest-quality components and designed around the unforgettable experience of pressing “launch.” Our hobby and STEM educational science products range across all skill levels, interests, and power levels. Unleash the space dreamer and science enthusiast in you with an Estes model rocket! Blast model rockets to amazing heights with the Estes Tandem-X Launch Set. An ideal introduction to rocket building, this set contains two rocket kits: the Amazon and the Crossfire ISX. It also comes with a launch pad for easy launching, plus two plastic parachutes that ensure a gentle descent to the ground. Whether you're a new rocketeer or a seasoned veteran of the skies, the Tandem-X is sure to deliver plenty of high-altitude thrills. Learn the basics of crafting model rockets with the 3-foot tall Amazon and 15 inch Crossfire. View larger. Its launch system includes a stabilizing launch pad and push-button controller. View larger. Blast Off to Extreme HeightsWith two rocket kits, the Tandem-X Launch Set offers two unique launching experiences. The aptly-named Amazon is the bigger of the two rockets: it towers at almost three feet tall and features a fearsome tiger- stripe decal. When flown with a standard Estes engine, the Amazon can soar to heights of 600 feet. The Crossfire is a smaller craft, standing just a little over 15 inches tall. In spite of its size, this little rocket can blast off to seriously impressive altitudes. Thanks to its aerodynamic fins and nose cone, the Crossfire can reach cloud-bursting heights of 1,150 feet. Both rockets are outfitted with colorful, preassembled parachutes, which ensure they can float gently back to Earth for another flight. An Introduction to Rocket BuildingThe Tandem-X Launch offers just the right amount of challenge for novice rocket builders. The Amazon is an E2X (easy-to-assemble) rocket, and requires no paint or special tools for assembly. It can be built in less than an hour: simply glue the plastic fins to the tube, install the engine, and attach the parachute. Finish the rocket off with a few self-stick decals, and you're ready to launch. Once builders have mastered the basics, they can move on to the more advanced Skill Level 1 Crossfire. With its plastic nose cone and laser-cut balsa fins, the Crossfire requires a little more finesse. Assembling the rocket can take an entire afternoon, but it's a rewarding and educational process. Builders will learn several beginner-level rocket techniques, such as painting and sanding. Estes has also included an illustrated, step-by-step instruction guide to help keep the assembly fun, smooth, and frustration-free. Educational FunIn addition to the thrills it provides, the Tandem-X also has significant educational value. The set transforms kids into amateur rocket scientists, encouraging them to think about how the rockets work. Rocket building teaches kids the basics of propulsion, flight, and aerodynamics, and can help foster an early interest in science and engineering. Even failed launches can turn into a learning experience. Requires an Estes EngineBoth rockets require a specialized Estes engine to launch. For the Amazon, Estes recommends a B4-2 engine for your first flight. The rocket is also compatible with other Estes engines, including the B4-4, B6-2, B6-4, C6-3, and C6-5. For the Crossfire, Estes recommends the A8-3 for first flight, and the B4-4, B6-4, C6-5, and C6-7 for more advanced launching. What's in the BoxEstes 1469 Tandem-X Launch Set with Amazon rocket kit, Crossfire ISX rocket kit, two plastic parachutes, launch pad, and push-button launch controller. P.when('A').execute(function(A) { A.on('a:expander:toggle_description:toggle:collapse', function(data) { window.scroll(0, data.expander.$expander[0].offsetTop-100); }); }); From the Manufacturer Two is better than one. You’ll get X-tra value with the Estes Tandem-X Model Rocket Launch Set. This exceptional rocket set features a pair of extreme, high performance rockets with a launch system for launching them. Whether you’re a new rocketeer or a seasoned veteran, launch in tandem for an exciting model rocket experience. The E2X (Easy to Assemble) Amazon is as imposing as the name sounds. This giant towers almost 3 ' (91 cm) high and is quick and easy to build. A tiger-striped body tube, precolored plastic nose cone and fins and self-stick decals make building this rocket easy to do in about an hour. When flown on our standard engines, this huge rocket can reach heights over 650 ' (198 m) with recovery on a colorful 18 " (46 cm) preassembled parachute. The Crossfire ISX is a Skill Level 1 kit that can easily be built in about a day. This rocket features a totally streamlined shape with aerodynamic fins and nose cone. It stands 15.6 " (39.6 cm) tall. When launched with powerful Estes standard engines, this bullet can reach cloud busting heights up to 1,200 ' (366 m). A preassembled 12 " (30 cm) parachute returns the Crossfire back to earth to launch again and again. Glue, modeling tools and Estes engines required - sold separately. The Electron Beam Launch Controller uses 4 AA 1.5V batteries - sold separately. Recommended for ages 10 and up with adult supervision for those under 12. See more

Brand Name: Estes


Age Range Description: Kid


Educational Objective: To promote scientific learning and understanding of rocketry, physics, engineering concepts through hands-on model rocket construction launching.


Set Name: Tandem-X Launch Set


Number of Packs: 2


Number of Items: 2


Unit Count: 1 Count


UPC: 885860395790 885238009151 795871027972 047776014831 885371913551 047776014695 885233473537


Global Trade Identification Number: 95


Included Components: Product Manual


Item Type Name: Model Rockets


Model Number: 1469


Manufacturer: Estes


Manufacturer Part Number: 1469


Manufacturer Warranty Description: 1 Year Warranty Against Manufacturer Defects


Manufacturer recommended age: 10 years and up


Theme: Model Rocket Kit


Material Type: Plastic and Laser Cut Wood


Size: 30 inches


Item Dimensions: 29.4 x 1.33 x 29.4 inches


Item Weight: 3 ounces


Frequently asked questions

If you place your order now, the estimated arrival date for this product is: Friday, Oct 23

Yes, absolutely! You may return this product for a full refund within 30 days of receiving it.

To initiate a return, please visit our Returns Center.

View our full returns policy here.

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Top Amazon Reviews


  • Not as shown, but who cares?
You won't get the Porta-Pad II and Electron Beam controller as shown in the picture, you'll get the Astron II pad and controller, which, according to the Estes website, is the newest launch set in their line-up. Doesn't really matter one way or another, unless you're purchasing batteries specifically for this set prior to arrival. The Astron II controller uses a 9V battery instead of the 4AA batteries that the product description tells you that you need. Also, you don't really need "plastic model cement," I use Loctite Control Gel super glue and it works great. I got this kit getting back into rockets after about a 25 year break. Didn't see the point in getting one rocket with a launch set when I could get two rockets for a couple of dollars more. I was really expecting to like the Crossfire more than the Amazon, because faster and higher is always better with rockets, right? Wrong. I built the Amazon first, since I'm a crawl before you walk guy. Used the super glue for everything except the shock-cord-to-body-tube attachment. Used white glue for that. Total building/decorating time was about half an hour, checking the instructions constantly to see what I was supposed to be doing. This is my favorite of the two in the set. It's big, it's easy to follow as it accelerates, and it's easy to track on the way down. After the last launch, I decided that I need to cut a hole in the parachute to speed decent, because I have varying wind layers where I live. I recommend the C6-3 engines over the C6-5 just because I don't really like watching my rockets nose dive for several seconds before the recovery system deploys, shortly after apogee makes me much happier. The Crossfire is a fun rocket. It goes high, fast, which is super cool. However, I've found that trying to go too high, too fast is a pain in the feet. I won't launch this rocket with anything more powerful than a B engine, because on every C launch it goes about 100' in the air and then careens to the side at about a 35 degree angle and I end up hiking forever to get to it. Which indicates to me that maybe C engines are too powerful for the stability level of the rocket. Every A engine and B engine launch has been straight as an arrow in the vertical realm, and I haven't gone more than about 50 feet to recover it. As for the launch system, it's decent and does what it's supposed to do. I was hoping that the two-piece launch rod was a screw together contraption that I could take apart for transportation and storage. It's not. It's held together with a roll pin, so you hammer it together and it doesn't come apart with any sort of ease. Which wouldn't be so bad if the joint didn't leave an uneven surface for a launch lug to catch on. I replaced mine with a 1/8" x 36" music wire. When I get something that needs the "Maxi-Rod" I'll go to my nearest home center and get a 3/16" metal rod for 1/4 the price of the Estes Maxi-Rod and it won't have a lip on it. Update 9/9/13: So I'm thinking that I may have gotten a bum set of C6-5 engines the first time. I had purchased two 3-packs of them, seperately for the different rockets. After the second time of chasing down the Crossfire I stopped using the C6-5s, leaving me with a leftover. Went out to launch the Amazon and lose some mini rockets and used the leftover engine. The Amazon went about 50' up then careened off creating a long walk for me. Intrigued, I decided to launch the Crossfire on one again the next week. The Crossfire on a C6-5 is impressive, as long as it's a good engine. Flight was beautifully straight, nearly out of sight. Make sure there's no wind and it's fun on C engines, I still stick to B engines, though, as I find them more fun with the better chance of recovery. As for the launch pad, apparently it's not designed for 3\16" rods. I got one and tried to install it to no avail. I ended up drilling out the rod holder about half way through. That way I can secure a bigger rod in the top part of the holder, and still have enough to hold the smaller rod. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2013 by Customer

  • Perfect "Father/Son" Rocket Kit - Make that "Parent/Child"
Part of the reason I give this product 5 stars is nostalgia. As a kid I built and flew model rockets just like these. But I couldn’t afford the cool launch pad and rod, so I used a block of wood and a coat-hanger that I had laboriously straightened. Worked great, and tons of fun! The other part of the 5 star review is heart strings. These many years later when, my 8 yo son sat on Santa’s lap, the rotund old elf asked him what one present he would like to get from Santa. My son looked a little nonplussed to have to come up with ONE thing, but he gamely said, “I’d like a model rocket, just like my dad had when he was a kid.” Seriously? There was zero chance he wasn’t getting this for Christmas! A few folks have given this set less than stellar reviews, mostly based on misunderstanding what they were getting. Model rockets are not toys and they are not preassembled. Model rockets are actual functional rockets. They require basic model building skills (measuring, cutting, gluing, and painting), and they require engines to launch. This is not a negative, part of the joy of this hobby comes with the building. Here is a list of basic items you’ll need in addition to this kit to build and fly your rockets: 1) Good quality white glue 2) Plastic cement (the stinky kind) Cement Glue Value Pack Testors 2-7/8 fl oz tubes 3) Paint. Spray paint works well for solid colors, but enamel paint is great for detailing Testors Promotional Enamel Paint Set 4) Brushes Testors Nylon Paint Brush, Set of 3 5) Masking tape 6) Fine sand paper 7) Razor knife 8) 4 AA batteries 9) Fire resistant wadding Estes 2274 Recovery Wadding 10) 2 sets of engines As model rockets go, these are actually very easy to assemble. Fins are usually the hardest part because you really have to be perfect in their alignment, but not on these rockets. The larger “Amazon” rocket has an injection molded fin assembly that just needs to be glued into the body tube. The smaller “Crossfire” rocket has balsa wood fins (*sniff* just like the old days), except these have been laser pre-cut for you. Even the body tube is pre-cut to accept the fins. Hard to go wrong. Quick primer on engines. They mostly come in 3-packs. Each engine is single use, then dispose of. They are real rocket engines and they burn pre-loaded solid fuel. The designation (example C6-5) tells you everything you need to know about the engine thrust profile. “B” engines are twice as powerful as “A” engines, and are half as powerful as “C” engines. The first number gives the average thrust (bigger is faster), and second number gives the delay in seconds before the ejection charge pops the chute. Engines come with the required igniters, but not the wadding. The flame resistant wadding protects the plastic chute from the heat of the ejection charge. Forget the wadding and your chute may melt, or even burn; not a useful recovery strategy! In a pinch you can get away with just using a regular tissue; it might smoke a bit as it falls, but will extinguish before reaching the ground. As a responsible adult trying to set a good example for my child, I bought the flame resistant stuff. I used B4-2 engines in the Crossfire rocket, and C6-7 engines in the Amazon rocket. The B4-2s were perfect, but the C6-7s have too long a delay and gave us a heart attack as the Amazon rocket turned over and looked like it planned to become a lawn-dart - before the chute eventually deployed! C6-5s would be a better choice here. My son loved launching these rockets! He was ecstatic when he almost caught the Crossfire rocket in mid-air as it was returning to earth. A video of his very first launch is attached. This little father/son rocket set is most highly recommended. Edit: I changed my title to make it clear that this is NOT a boy's toy, it is not scary, and it is not rough and tough. Any kid with an interest in engineering, or science, or just going fast and high, would probably love this product. Edit2: Youtube video of my son showing his mom how to use the launch controller and launch her very first rocket. Very exciting for the whole family! https://youtu.be/YOO3cI2NWvM ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on January 7, 2016 by Marc

  • Excellent Starter Kit for New Rocketeers
These are the first rockets I have purchased as an adult (I had one as a kid.....over 25 years ago), and I love them. This kit was nice for 2 reasons - it came with its own launcher, and there are 2 different levels of rockets to build. The taller "Amazon" rocket was much easier to build and took me around an hour or so to build (with the help of my 5 year old). The smaller one took a bit longer (plus the time needed to wait for the paint to dry). Being someone who is completely inept at building things, I was able to build these rockets with very little difficulty. The launcher was very easy to set up and use, and after giving my boys a little instruction, they were able to launch them with me standing off in the distance. Of course they had a blast watching these 2 launch but even more fun chasing them down through a corn field once the parachutes deployed. As advertised, the "Crossfire" goes quite higher than the "Amazon". After 9 launches of these 2 rockets and 3 other ones that I purchased at the same time, the boys were ready to go kite flying, but they are still well worth the money. Plus it's a great way for dads to spend time with their kids while building them and finally launching them into orbit! UPDATE: After reading several of the negative reviews (which have nothing to do with the product itself), I thought I'd better add that YOU WILL NEED TO BUY ENGINES AND IGNITERS for these rockets. Also, if you want them to look like the ones photographed, you will need paint as well. Even though the product description seems self explanatory online, I understand that some smartphones aren't picking up this product description. All that said, still well worth the money even with the extras (which you can also pick up on Amazon for a fraction of the store cost). ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on May 15, 2010 by Tom L

  • So exciting.
A little difficult to assemble. Bought for a scouts program. Once ready it shot up pretty quick, but not as high as the kids smaller rockets. It might be a bit heavy for high launches. Bigger isnt always better. Did not explode when it was first launch, so will last us multiple launches. Needed to purchase extra parts. The kids thought it looked really cool and where excited. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on June 14, 2026 by Miles Zroka

  • Molds future rocket scientist or astronaut employee at NASA
I bought this rocket to teach my children about rocket propulsion and to have fun. We used the C6 engine and it was more than enough power as the smaller of the two rockets went at least 1/4 mile into the sky. We unfortunately lost both rockets on the 16acre park. It was truly a beautiful site to see them shoot off and soar into the sky. Parachutes on both rockets activated. I just ordered 6 more Estes rockets. Cheap fun, good learning experience. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on July 7, 2026 by spiel_leah

  • Great gift idea!
Grandson loved them!!!!
Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2026 by Vern

  • Definitely recommend
Bought for my son and he loves it!!!!!!
Reviewed in the United States on September 11, 2026 by Amazon Customer

  • Rockets are cool, but the launch controller was defective.
Rockets are pretty good! Make sure you check your launch controller when you first get it. I checked ours the day before our launch trip to the desert and the launch controller was dead. I had to take it apart and fix some of the internals. There was a little metal clip in there that makes contact with the armed lamp and is one side of the safety pin interlock. The clip was bent in a way that it did not make contact with the lamp PCB and did not get close enough to make contact with the interlock pin when inserted. Honestly, pretty much junk. If they'd have wired in a microswitch or something for the safety pin to actuate, it'd be far more reliable. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on November 13, 2025 by DC

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