On this page are the books and source materials for the avid scale builder, or just someone with a keen interest in rockets and space flight.
Our premier product is Spaceship Handbook . This is the standard reference for the NAR "Fiction/Future" scale event and a source of enjoyment for those with a general interest in the history of spaceflight. Out of print for over a year, Spaceship Handbook has been reprinted in a limited run for those who missed out on it the first time.
For those of you with a little wall space, Spaceship Handbook's gorgeous cover artwork is available in small poster form, both unsigned and signed by the artist. Jon Rogers also has a new version of his Ad Astra per Aspera poster available directly from his website, RogersRocketships.com .
If you are looking for any of Peter Alway's works, such as Rockets of the World, Retro Rockets, or the annual supplements, we have some good news. Please check the Saturn Press section for the latest updates.
We also have several issues of the French Sci-Fi modeling magazine Dixième Planète (Tenth Planet). Their Special #1 covers Star Wars figurines, and Special #2 was published in conjunction with a special exhibit of models celebrating the film 2001: A Space Odyssey's title year. There are also a select number of standard issues with cover stories that will be of interest to the Sci-Fi modeler.
A brand new addition to our line is a series of actual modeler's guides from CultTVman . The first two that we’re offering are the "Ultimate Modeling Guide" and the "StarFleet Assembly Manuals".
ARA Press gives discounts to certain groups. If you belong to the NAR, Tripoli, Solarguard or another qualifying group, click here to setup your discount.
Spaceship Handbook A history of the Spaceship in the 20th Century covering Theoretical, Fictional and Cancelled programs. |
The Saucer Fleet Coming in 2008. |
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Small Sounding Rockets A historical review of meteorological systems from 1955 to 1973. SOLD OUT |
The Next Shuttle Descriptions of dozens of rocket planes and reusable shuttles. |
Dixième Planète Select editions of the French modeling magazine Tenth Planet. |
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Production at Peter Alway’s Saturn Press has been shut down since early-2007. It has been frustrating to vendors as well as customers not to be able to provide these excellent products. Things are looking up, though.
We recently finalized a deal with Peter to reproduce a number of the Saturn Press booklets. At first, this will be all of the annual supplements to Rockets of the World (yes, including 2000) plus Soviet Missiles. If there is demand, we might be able to expand that to Scale Bash, V2, etc. Regarding the hardcover books, Rockets of the World and Retro Rockets, Peter says he still has some Retros left and we’re trying to get him to ship some to us. Rockets of the World should also be available before long. The NAR did not want this valuable resource to be lost, so they authorized their publisher, Todd Schweim, to take over printing and distribution. The first fruits of this agreement will be a straight reprinting of Rockets of the World, which should be available by the end of summer. | ||
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Retro Rockets: Experimental Rockets 1926-1941 A book about the early liquid-fueled rockets of rocket pioneer Robert Goddard and his contemporaries in the US, Germany, and the Soviet Union. |
Twelve Soviet Missiles of the Cold War Historical summaries with dimensioned and color-keyed drawings of twelve Soviet missiles from the 1940's, 1950's and 1960's. |
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Rockets of the World, Third Edition A book about space boosters and sounding rockets compiled with the modeler in mind. |
Rockets of the World Supplements Annual supplements to Rockets of the World. |
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While everyone appreciates the wealth of data available here that can be used to design scratch-built models, some prefer actual guides for techniques and tips when building kits. Steve Iverson, administrator of the popular CultTVman.com website, has collected 17 of the build articles for Sci-Fi kits from his site (all done by expert modelers) and collected them together in this large format softcover. Mostly B&W with two color "gallery" sections of the completed models. Steve has also published the StarFleet Assembly Manuals, a combined collection of all three SFAM’s by Paul Newitt. These show how to improve all of the Star Trek kits out there with improved techniques and upgrades such as working lighting.
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Ultimate Modelers Guide A large format softcover with seventeen build articles for Sci-Fi kits. |
StarFleet Assembly Manuals A reprint of three manuals with additional new material. |
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Spaceship Handbook Cover Artwork A high-quality poster of Spaceship Handbook's gorgeous cover artwork. |
Ad Astra per Aspera Artwork A high-quality work of art by Jon Rogers of the spaceships featured in the Spaceship Handbook. |
ARA Press offers 15% discounts to qualified groups such as NAR and Tripoli members, solarguard.com readers, etc. Unfortunately, the shopping cart system we use cannot accommodate qualified discounts like this, so we must take this slightly awkward approach. If you belong to one of these groups, you can get your discount by one of the following methods:
1) Call or fax your order directly to ARA Press at (925) 455-1143 (this number is both voice and fax) and include your appropriate identification (e.g. membership number). You can feel confident in leaving your card information, as there is only one person, Jack, who picks up the faxes and listens to the messages.
2) Place your order using the shopping cart and note your invoice number. After you return, click
to send a message with your membership number or code word. Your credit card will be credited back the amount of the discount, and you will receive a confirming e-mail with the amount.