Magellan Spacecraft

The Magellan spacecraft was a relatively easy model to construct.  It has a very basic structure and few parts or details to build.  This was constructed from a kit purchased from Space Craft International.

The solar panels were made of a moderately thick plastic, so no sagging has been observed.  The most difficult part of the construction was in the reaction control system thruster clusters, which were on a set of lines that had to be interconnected.

This spacecraft was mostly white [to lessen the absorption of solar energy at Venus], which meant that it was important to keep hands and tools clean so as not to smudge the surface.

I estimate that this model took a total of 15 hours, not including the drying time after assembly of many of the sub-sections.