The Estes family business was the first fireworks company listed in the Denver phone book.
He assembled a machine which he named "Mabel," capable of producing a rocket engine every 5.5 seconds.
Model Missiles, Inc. was forced to fold due to a number of unwise business decisions.
His first kit was the Astron Scout, a simple design that was so small it fit inside the cardboard tubes used for shipping rocket engines.
Although he sold his interest in Estes Industries in 1969, he remains active in model rocketry and occasionally attends launch events.