RDS is pleased to be celebrating our 15th year in the High Power Rocketry business. Only a handful of rocketry companies have lasted that long. We believe that we owe our success to great kits, great prices, and some of the greatest customers in the world.

RDS was founded in 1989 by Mike Gillette as Rocket Dyne Systems. Mike was an engineer and well liked by everyone who met him. He built some legendary rockets and remarkable rocket motors, some of the largest motors of his day. Some of his motors were used in some of the most important team projects working with many of the people who are now considered the pioneers and founders of High Power Rocketry. The comercial division of RDS built sounding rockets for science and industry.

Mike possessed a strong desire to share his knowlege of rocketry with anyone who asked. He developed and produced many innovative rockets, most of which we still sell today. Mike's belief that rocket kits should be affordable is still the basis of our business philosophy to this day. Mike suffered from severe diabetes. Ultimately it was the reason that Mike had to sell the business. Mike passed away from diabetes related complicatons in 2002.

In late 1999 The consumer hobby division of Rocket Dyne Systems was purchased by Mike and John Kerrigan. See the Press Release at Rocketry Online News archive. Their experience in High Power Rockety brought a new level of success to RDS. Under John's leadership RDS grew in size and popularity, and developed a strong reputation of producing some of the highest performance rocket kits available from any source.

Mike Kerrigan with the first kit,
bagged and ready to ship!

Eventually, Mike Kerrigan left the partnership to pursue other interests, but was replaced by John's wife, Lynda Kerrigan. Lynda filled an important niche, maintaining the web site, processing orders, and handling customer relations. It is largely due to Lynda's efforts that RDS has developed such a great reputation for superior customer service. John introduced ShockWave tubing, a specially formulated structural tubing designed to absorb epoxy for superior strength. Shortly after the Kerrigans purchased Rocket Dyne Systems, they were contacted by a legal team representing Boeing asking them to change any and all names, references, likenesses, and mention of the name Rocket Dyne Systems. Apparently, Boeing's attorneys felt that the name 'Rocket Dyne Systems' was too close to the name of their Rocketdyne subsidiary's trademark. RDS has complied and changed our name to Rocket Dynamic Systems. See the Press Release at Rocketry Online News archive.

In October 2000, RDS purchased Maximum Thrust Rocketry. This company was originally founded by Jim Hart in 1989 as Hott Rockets. Jim built big, specializing in Level III semi-scale military rockets. The Hott Rockets lineup included the V-2, Bullpup, Phoenix, Army Hawk and the D-region Tomahawk amongst others. These were some of the largest and most powerful rocket kits ever developed. To this day they are among our best sellers. Hott Rockets was sold to Dave Wentworth and Kevin Harness who changed the name of the company to Maximum Thrust Rocketry. Kevin and Dave, both Level 3 certified, brought a high degree of skill and knowlege to MTR and added to the line of military semi-scale rocket kits. Acquiring the MTR product line has given RDS one of the broadest ranges of rocketry kits in the industry.

In September of 2004 Dan Isdell, a customer of RDS, offered to help out with the RDS web site. John and Lynda were grateful for the help and enthuiasm. John's other business was booming and left little time to run RDS. After long heartfelt discussions John and Lynda decided that in order to provide the level of service that their customers deserved it was time to let RDS advance to the next stage. After years of running RDS and building a family of friends and customers, John and Lynda Kerrigan have turned the reins of RDS and MTR over to Dan and Laurie Isdell. John and Lynda will continue to be active in the rocketry comunity as time permits, and will stay on in an advisory capacity for the forseeable future. John will continue to follow his passion for designing rockets, all of which will be added to the RDS lineup.

Dan Isdell brings his skills from 25 years of mechanical and electrical engineering along with his experience in web design and running a company. Laurie, his wife of 16 years, adds her professional skills in marketing and communications as well as a firm grasp of that elusive commodity: common sense. They are really excited about working with RDS and continuing the reputation that has been built by the people who made RDS what it is today.

Helping you to take rocketry to the next level.