How to Print & Assemble The BOOSTER-S3

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All of the STL files are really straight forward to print. All you need to do is load them into your slicer software (I use Cura), select your desirable settings (e.g. layer height, infill percentage, etc.) and slice the parts. I used 0.4mm nozzle and 0.2mm layer height to print large parts, and 0.1mm layer height to print small parts (e.g. Raptor Engines).

Please note: I already saved the STL for each part in the orientation I printed them on my FDM printer. Hence, when you load the STL in your slicer software, you don’t need to orientate them again, unless you want to try to print them in a different orientation.

So now you’ve got all your parts printed? Great! Let’s assemble the model!

I’ll take you through the assembly process step by step but before that, you need to purchase some items:

• 5mm dia x 3mm thick N42 Neodymium magnets (LINK) | Qty: 96-off
• 3mm dia x 2mm thick N42 Neodymium (LINK) | Qty: 27-off
• Super glue (LINK) | Qty: 1 bottle

At this step, all I want you to do is try to stack all the parts together to get a good understanding of where they are located. Because there are a lot of magnets you need to fit during the assembly process, doing this first step will give you an idea of how to fit the magnets in each part correctly. Please use the ‘Booster-S3 Assembly.stl’ and the photos below if required.

Parts required (refer to the photos below)

• 1x Booster Aft_S3 (a)
• 2x Location Pin_S3 (b)
• 12x Magnets (5mm dia x 3mm thick) (highlighted in red)

Assembly process

1. STEP 2a: Glue 6x magnets (5mm dia x 3mm thick) into their pockets at the top and side of the Booster Aft
2. STEP 2b: Glue 6x magnets (5mm dia x 3mm thick) into their pockets at the bottom of the Booster Aft
3. STEP 2c: Glue 2x Location Pins to 2 holes located at the top face of the Booster Aft

Parts required (refer to the photos below)

• 1x Booster Aft_S3 from STEP 2 (a)
• 1x Booster Thrust Puck_S3 (b)
• 14x Magnets (5mm dia x 3mm thick) (highlighted in red)

Assembly process:

1. STEP 3a: Glue 14x magnets (5mm dia x 3mm thick) into their pockets at the top and bottom sides of the Booster Thrust Puck
2. STEP 3b: Glue the Booster Thrust Puck to the Booster Aft from STEP 2.
   IMPORTANT: Use the 2 cut-out slots on the sides of the Booster Thrust Puck for alignment with the Booster Aft. Note that the sizes of the slots are also different to aid orientation.

Parts required (refer to the photos below)

• 1x Booster LOX Tank (Bottom)_S3 (a)
• 2x Location Pin_S3 (b)
• 8x Magnets (5mm dia x 3mm thick) (highlighted in red)

Assembly process

1. STEP 4a: Glue 8x magnets (5mm dia x 3mm thick) into their pockets at the top and bottom sides of the Booster LOX Tank (Bottom)
2. STEP 4b: Glue 2x Location Pins to 2 holes located at the top face of the Booster LOX Tank (Bottom)

Parts required (refer to the photos below)

• 1x Booster LOX Tank (Top)_S3 (a)
• 2x Location Pin_S3 (b)
• 8x Magnets (5mm dia x 3mm thick) (highlighted in red)

Assembly process

1. STEP 5a: Glue 8x magnets (5mm dia x 3mm thick) into their pockets at the top and bottom sides of the Booster LOX Tank (Top)
2. STEP 5b: Glue 2x Location Pins to 2 holes located at the top face of the Booster LOX Tank (Top)

Parts required (refer to the photos below)

• 1x Booster Common Dome_S3 (a)
• 2x Location Pin_S3 (b)
• 8x Magnets (5mm dia x 3mm thick) (highlighted in red)

Assembly process

1. STEP 6a: Glue 8x magnets (5mm dia x 3mm thick) into their pockets at the top and bottom sides of the Booster Common Dome
2. STEP 6b: Glue 2x Location Pins to 2 holes located at the top face of the Booster Common Dome

Parts required (refer to the photos below)

• 1x Booster CH4 Tank_S3 (a)
• 2x Location Pin_S3 (b)
• 8x Magnets (5mm dia x 3mm thick) (highlighted in red)

Assembly process

1. STEP 7a: Glue 8x magnets (5mm dia x 3mm thick) into their pockets at the top and bottom sides of the Booster CH4 Tank
2. STEP 7b: Glue 2x Location Pins to 2 holes located at the top face of the Booster CH4 Tank

Parts required (refer to the photos below)

• 1x Booster Interstage_S3
• 4x Magnets (5mm dia x 3mm thick) (highlighted in red)
• 10x Magnets (3mm dia x 2mm thick) (highlighted in red)

Assembly process

1. STEP 8a: Glue 6x magnets (3mm dia x 2mm thick) into their pockets at the top of the Booster Interstage
2. STEP 8b: Glue 4x magnets (5mm dia x 3mm thick) into their pockets at the bottom of the Booster Interstage
3. STEP 8c: Glue 4x magnets (3mm dia x 2mm thick) into their pockets at the side of the Booster Interstage

Parts required (refer to the photos below)

• 13x Raptor Engine_S3 (a)
• 13x Raptor Engine Shield_S3 (b)
• 4x Grid Fin_S3 (c)
• 13x Magnet (5mm dia x 3mm thick) (highlighted in red)
• 4x Magnet (3mm dia x 2mm thick) (highlighted in red)

Assembly process

1. STEP 9a: Glue 1x magnet (5mm dia x 3mm thick) into its pocket at the top of the Raptor Engine Shield. Then glue 1x Raptor Engine to 1x Raptor Engine Shield. Repeat until you have 13x Raptor Engine Assemblies
2. STEP 9b: Glue 1x magnet (3mm dia x 2mm thick) into its pocket on each Grid Fin

Parts required (refer to the photos below)

• 1x Engine Skirt_S3 (a)
• 20x Raptor Engine_S3 (b) (from STEP 9)
• 2x Location Pin_S3 (c)
• 13x Center Raptor Engine from STEP 9 (d)
• 1x Booster Aft Section from STEP 3 (e)
• 6x Magnet (5mm dia x 3mm thick) (highlighted in red)

Assembly process

1. STEP 10a: Glue 6x magnet (5mm dia x 3mm thick) into their pockets at the top of the Engine Skirt
2. STEP 10b: Glue 20x Raptor Engines to the bottom of the Engine Skirt
3. STEP 10c: Glue 2x Location Pins to 2 holes located at the top face of the Engine Skirt
4. STEP 10d: Install 13x Center Raptor Engines from STEP 9 to the Booster Aft Section
5. STEP 10e: Install the Engine Skirt to the Booster Aft Section

Parts required (refer to the photos below)

• 1x Booster CH4 Distribution Pipes (Top)_S3 (a)
• 1x Booster CH4 Distribution Pipes (Mid)_S3 (b)
• 1x Booster CH4 Distribution Pipes (Bottom)_S3 (c)
• 1x Sub-assembly from STEP 10 (d)
• 6x Magnets (5mm dia x 3mm thick) (highlighted in red)
• 1x Magnet (3mm dia x 2mm thick) (highlighted in red)

Assembly process

1. STEP 11a: Glue 2x magnets (5mm dia x 3mm thick) into their pockets on both ends of each CH4 Distribution Pipes and 1x magnets (3mm dia x 2mm thick) into the pocket on the side of the Booster CH4 Distribution Pipes (Top)
2. STEP 11b: Install all the Booster CH4 Distribution Pipes to the Booster Aft Section. Ensure that all 10x pipes on the Booster CH4 Distribution Pipes (Bottom) go into the 10x holes located on the top face of the Booster Thrust Puck
3. STEP 10c: Finally, rotate the Booster CH4 Distribution Pipes (Mid) & (Top) so that all the pipes are all equally spread out

Parts required (refer to the photos below)

• 2x Booster CH4 Downcomer Pipe_S3 (a)
• 1x Booster CH4 Downcomer Joint_S3 (b)
• 1x Booster LOX Header Tank_S3 (c)
• 10x Booster LOC Header Tank Pipe_S3 (d)
• 1x Booster LOX Tank (Top) Section from STEP 5 (e)
• 1x Booster LOX Tank (Bottom) Section from STEP 4 (f)
• 1x Booster Aft Section from STEP 11 (g)
• 6x Magnet (5mm dia x 3mm thick) (highlighted in red)

Assembly process

1. STEP 12a: Glue 2x magnets (5mm dia x 3mm thick) to both ends of Booster CH4 Downcomer Pipe (a) and Joint (b)
2. STEP 12b: Insert 10x Booster LOC Header Tank Pipe (d) to the Booster LOX Header Tank (c). Use super glue if needed
3. STEP 12c: Install the Booster LOX Header Tank Assembly to the Booster Aft Section (g). Ensure the ends of the Booster LOC Header Tank Pipes go into the holes of the Booster Thrust Puck
4. STEP 12d: Assemble the CH4 Downcomer and insert it into the top of the Booster LOX Header Tank Assembly
5. STEP 12e: Install the Booster LOX Tank Sections to the Booster Aft Section

Parts required (refer to the photos below)

• 1x AVSB_S3 (a)
• 1x Booster CH4 Downcomer (Top)_S3 (b)
• 1x Booster Common Dome Section from STEP 6 (c)
• 1x Sub-assembly from STEP 12 (d)
• 3x Magnet (5mm dia x 3mm thick) (highlighted in red)

Assembly process

1. STEP 13a: Glue 3x magnets (5mm dia x 3mm thick) to their pockets on the Booster CH4 Downcomer (Top) and AVSB (Anti-Vortex Slosh Baffles)
2. STEP 13a: Install the Booster CH4 Downcomer (Top) and AVSB to the Booster Common Dome Section
3. STEP 13b: Install the Booster Common Dome Section to the Sub-assembly from STEP 12

Parts required (refer to the photos below)

• 1x Booster CH4 Tank Section from STEP 7 (a)
• 1x Sub-assembly from STEP 13 (b)

Assembly process

1. STEP 14: Install the Booster CH4 Tank Section to the Sub-assembly from STEP 13

Parts required (refer to the photos below)

• 2x Booster Forward Dome Cap_S3 (a)
• 4x Booster Grid Fins from STEP 9 (b)
• 1x Booster Interstage Section from STEP 8 (c)

Assembly process

1. STEP 15a: Glue 2x halves of the Booster Forward Dome Cap together to make a full cap & press fit it into the Booster Interstage Section
2. STEP 15b: Insert 4x Grid Fins into the holes around the Booster Interstage Section

Parts required (refer to the photos below)

• 1x Sub-Assembly from STEP 15 (a)
• 1x Sub-Assembly from STEP 14 (b)

Assembly process

1. STEP 16: Install the Booster Interstage Section from STEP 15 to Sub-Assembly from STEP 14

Parts required (refer to the photos below)

• 1x Hotstaging Ring_S3 (a)
• 1x Sub-assembly from STEP 16 (b)
• 12x Magnet (3mm dia x 2mm thick) (highlighted in red)

Assembly process

1. STEP 17a: Glue 6x magnets (5mm dia x 3mm thick) to their pockets on the top face, and 6x magnets (5mm dia x 3mm thick) to their pockets on the bottom face of the Hot-Staging Ring
2. STEP 17b: Install the Hot-Staging Ring to the Booster

Parts required (refer to the photos below)

• 1x Booster Stand_S3 (a)
• 1x Booster-S3 from STEP 17 (b)

Assembly process

1. STEP 18a: Ensure that the Booster Stand is at the correct orientation (the front side of the Booster Stand is aligned with that of the Booster-S3)
2. STEP 18b: Place the Booster-S3 on top of the Booster Stand

Congratulations, you have fully built the BOOSTER-S3 model at this point!