The Estes Solar Scouts launch set include two rocket kits, a launch pad, and control.  The two kits are the Farside and the SkyDart.  They are reviewed individually below.

FARSIDE

Brief:
A pre-colored E2X-class rocket included in the Solar Scouts Launch Set, with a 3FNC configuration and parachute recovery.

Construction:
The Farside was packaged in a plastic bag. Its components included

• a nose cone.
• a slotted body tube.
• a motor mount tube.
• a motor-retainer clip.
• a three-piece internal motor mount (which also serves as a fin retention system).
• three small styrene launch lugs (only two of which are used).
• a nose block (not supposed to be used, but see below).
• three plastic fins, a shock cord retainer in two pieces (again, one piece not supposed to be used, but see below).
• a 12" preassembled white plastic parachute.
• a shock cord.
• a peel-and-stick kit name decal.

All listed parts were present and none were damaged.

Instructions were traditional Estes--logical, well-illustrated with diagrams, and clear. I made a number of minor alterations to the Farside...most notably the addition of a six-inch payload section and the replacement of the rubber-band shock cord with black sewing elastic. I used the backing plate included with the shock-cord anchor as well.

I assembled the rocket with Testor's tube-type cement for styrene models, except for the fins (which I installed with gel cyanoacrylate). I added a single layer of masking tape to the nose block and glued a six-inch piece of tubing cut off the payload section of my Estes Flash to it with Aleene's Quick Grab Glue. The glittery tubing from the Flash adds to the Farside's overall appearance quite nicely.

This is a tough rocket with a nice finish, needing no paint at all.

Finishing:
A few strokes with a sanding stick cleaned up a few minor blemishes on the fins and nose cone...those on the nose cone were a heavy seam left by the molding process, while the fins had ejector-pin marks. The kit-name sticker and the recommended-motor list sticker went on, and the finishing was done.

Construction Rating: 4 out of 5

Flight:
I flew the Farside on a B4-4, a B6-4, and a C6-7 respectively. It prepped easily, needing four sheets of Estes paper wadding. Flights were straight and true, and were tracked to 600, 675, and 1100 feet. I replaced the parachute with a 2" x 36" streamer for the C6-7 flight, expecting a long drift.

Recovery:
The Farside recovered well on its included parachute, in each case landing within a hundred feet of my launcher. It did the same thing on the C6-7 flight using a streamer. A simple rocket but a good one for basic sport-flying or light payloading (if modified as I did). Note that the Farside does NOT use a stock BT-50 body tube...the outside diameter is slightly larger, which means the payload-section refit requires a suitable Estes rocket donate the tubing (unless someone knows someone who makes a one-inch nominal I.D. body tube).

Flight Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:
Main PROs: Easy to build, sturdy, easy to add a payload section given a proper tube, attractive with no painting, good price (Wal-Mart clearanced it for $13 including the Sky Dart and a full set of launch tackle.)

CONs: Odd tube diameter, minor molding flaws on plastic parts, peel-and-stick labels instead of waterslide decals.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5

SKY DART

Brief:
A small, brightly pre-painted rocket provided in the Solar Scouts Launch Set.

Construction:
The kit came in a plastic bag within a wedge-shaped box. The wedge-shaped box also enclosed another rocket kit and a launcher and launch control system. The Sky Dart kit contained a yellow body tube, a black four-fin plastic fin can, a black plastic nose cone with a white plastic eye-plug, a motor retainer hook, a rubber-band shock cord, a plastic ring to retain the shock cord, and added a forward launch lug, a strip of plastic streamer stock, and a decal sticker. All the parts were there and undamaged.

Another set of clear Estes instructions. This little gem was twenty minutes of work, if that. Just cut two slits in the BT-5 tube, insert the retainer hook, glue the fin can over the tube with Testor's plastic model cement, glue the base of the nose cone into the nose cone, insert the shock cord in the second slit and retain it with the little black ring, tie on the nose cone, and rig the streamer. Done! Oh, before I forget...stick the decals on.

Finishing:
It was pre-colored. The only finishing involved was a kit name decal and a recommended engines list decal, which I am glad to see becoming standard equipment on Estes rockets these days. It could have used waterslide decals but that's just a personal preference.

Construction Rating: 3 out of 5

Flight:
I flew it on A10-3Ts. It needed a small amount of Estes paper wadding. The provided streamer was just right in size.

Little critter went up straight as an arrow to just shy of 1000 feet and landed within twenty feet of the launcher. The competition minded set might try this rocket as a spot-landing entry...it had a quite predictable flight path.

Recovery:
Kevlar shock cord would be a nice addition to the Sky Dart as well as a baffle. There is precious little space for the streamer. Nothing was damaged in recovery.

Flight Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:
Main PROs: Simple, pre-colored, zippy performer, nearly bombproof build even for supervised youngsters.

Only CON: Flies so high it can be lost easily!

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5