About Us

Our Mission Statement: To provide a rewarding experience to any person wanting to further their growth in rocketry, by providing exciting products that teach, as well as showing how fun and safe the hobby can be. We also provide in-depth information about rockets so that customers can make informed decisions about rocketry so they save money. Our motto is: "Your Success is our Mission."

Why and what we do here is not by accident. Rocketry is ALL we do. We don't carry airplanes, RC cars, or trains. We specialize in just one thing: "Model Rockets." Period!

Obviously, you have a lot of choices to pick from for your rocketry supplies. There are literally hundreds of manufacturers and probably thousands of kit re-sellers. But why buy from Apogee Components?

You were drawn to our website for some reason. If it isn't clear why we're different from everyone else, I'll try to explain.

You got this far, and to this particular web page because you had a sense that Apogee really seems to know what rocketry is all about. More than anyone else, we "get" rocketry. Other sites may tell you "how rockets work," but we show you how much fun you really can have with this hobby. That is probably very important to you -- isn't it?

I'll tell you up front that our prices are a little higher than almost every other model rocketry dealer. The reason has to do with what we do for "you."

You see, we work for you. Our goal is to maximize your rocketry experience so that you'll feel that you go more from the results of your project than what you paid for it. 

You have some pretty lofty goals. To help you reach them, we have to invest a huge amount of time researching every product you see here on this website. We build each model. We fly nearly ever model. We do an in-depth analysis to find out how everything works so that we can match the right product to your needs. It does cost a lot of time and money.

But our goal is that you achieve success! If you don't succeed and have a great experience, then we have failed. 

Here are some examples of common goals we help other customers achieve every day:

• Family Activity: If you are doing rocketry as a family, your goal may be that your children have a great time with you and want to spend more time with you. For you personally, it will make you feel awesome that you were successful, that you can help them discover new things, and that you'll be building a lot of priceless memories (remember to take lots of pictures – not of the rockets, but of the kids). Rocketry is a great activity that bonds the whole family.
   
• Educator: If you are a teacher, your goal is probably to maximize the amount of educational value of the class project. There is so much to learn about how rocketry and how it has a real-life impact on us as a human race. Rocketry is not a toy, but a tool that pry's open the human spirit. Once you've opened the student's mind, you can pour in all sorts of education that is beneficial in their chosen career path, whatever it might be. Entire schools are built on aerospace education because there is nothing else like it that can get kids excited and motivated to learn. In this regard, we're unique among vendors, as I have personal experience, having worked in the space program on the Delta II rocket. I know what things are important and can tie them to the real space program.
   
• Personal Satisfaction: If you are doing rocketry for your own personal achievement, your goal may be to maximize those accomplishments. Whether it is building a precision scale model, developing a new type of rocket that no one else has ever imagined, or setting a new performance record, we believe that we can help you get to where you want to be.

By contrast, there are many discount dealers on the internet that will sell you rockets for "cheap." That's all that they think you want. But what do you get in return? Since they don't match the products to your goals, you'll be paying for the wrong items. Sure you can buy a five dollar rocket kit from them, but the value of your rocketry experience may be only worth fifty cents. What kind of bargain is that? That is a very expensive rocket, wasn't it?

We get what rocketry is really about, and we get you. We know your rocketry experience starts right here on this website. We want to prove to you that we are different and worthy of your business. We're prepared, and we'll take the first hundred steps to earn your trust. That is why you'll find so much information and useful tips that you can use to make your rocketry activity a pleasurable one. If you have the time, you'll find so much free stuff on this website, that you'll be wondering how we can give so much away without going out of business. But we have to prove to you that we are the ones you want to do business with.

When you order from our store, you'll also find that we continue the experience by providing you with outstanding service. You're not a discount customer to us like you would be to those dealers that sell cheap products. You're a valuable customer and we will treat you as such. Want proof? Check out our product guarantee. Check out our "speedy shipping" guarantee. And check out our Frequent Flyer Program that explains the other things we do to earn your continued business.

Great customer service starts by having great people working for you. Meet our staff, the people whose goal it is to make your day more delightful.

Great customer service is much more than getting the order out the door in a reasonable amount of time. Great service is helping you select the best rocket that fits your specific needs and desires. It is helping you when you have a crisis situation and need things in a hurry. It is a simple thing like letting you know if there will be any type of delay in processing the order. It is quickly refunding money that you might have overpaid in shipping fees. It is contacting you quickly if you accidentally selected incompatible items (just to make sure you know with absolute certainty what you're getting). It is even updating the web store daily to let customers know if an item is on back-order. How frustrating is it to order an item, and then find out days later that you won't get it in time?

But the real test of great customer service is what happens when mistakes happen. For example, forgetting an item in a shipment. We know these things happen; that's why they are called mistakes and accidents. But we actually budget for them ahead of time, so we can keep you happy and coming back again and again. We drop what we're doing to get your missing items out right away.

This is the type of stuff we do every day. We have been doing real customer service since 1989 (that's nearly 30 years!). Meanwhile, we have watched "discount dealers" come and go like the waves crashing against the seashore. They don't last long because they don't take the time to find out what you really want.

Your satisfaction is important to me. I wouldn't be able to sleep at night if I knew a customer felt he got a raw deal. If you were in my shoes, would you charge a high price, a low price, or a fair price for the great service you get when dealing with Apogee Components? Our prices are a great value for the experience you get, and the quality of the merchandise you'll receive. I know that once you do business with Apogee Components, you'll agree.

I'm glad you finally found the Apogee Components website. We are like you and want to help you get the most value out of rocketry. Our goal is to maximize your experience with rocketry by offering you the best products that suit your needs. And even though our prices are a tiny bit higher, when you match what you get to the accomplishments you'll achieve, they will seem like a huge bargain.

Tim Van Milligan
President - Apogee Components

Apogee Components is located at:

4960 Northpark Dr
Colorado Springs, CO 80918 USA
(click here for Google map to our facility)

Telephone: 719-535-9335

Office Hours: M-F, 9 am to 5 PM Mountain Time Zone (GMT minus 8 hours). But we've been known to answer email questions at all times of the day/night.

When visiting, note that our building is hidden from the road. We are behind "Site One Landscape Supply." Turn left into the alley before Site One building to get to us. Click here for a larger image.

Google Maps

• Take a 360° virtual tour of our facility - click here

Below is the older video that shows building we used to be in. This is the same girl, just 10 years earlier.

Our Staff - Find out the cool stuff about the people that will make your day more delightful.

Web Site Philosophy - Why we have such a passion for rocketry.

History of Apogee Components, and Tim's Resume - A bit corny, but if you've got a few minutes to waste, you're welcome to read more about us. This link also has pictures of the inside of our production facility.