Officially known as the Low Altitude Mars Personal Maneuvering Unit, the Leaper™ was designed in the Destination Mars storyline as a jetpack for the first Mars Expedition of 2035. In your classroom or youth program, it becomes something even more powerful, a hands on teaching tool that sparks imagination while reinforcing core STEM concepts.
The Destination Mars™ Leaper™ invites students to explore what future surface exploration on Mars could look like. Why walk between habitats when you can leap? That simple question opens the door to lessons on propulsion, atmospheric differences, and engineering design.
Quick Setup for Structured Learning
Time matters in classrooms, camps, and after school programs. The Leaper is constructed from durable EPP foam and arrives prefinished, requiring no gluing, sanding, or painting. Simply insert the stabilizer rods and prepare the engine for launch.
This streamlined setup makes it ideal for educators managing groups of students. You can focus on instruction, safety, and discussion rather than extended build time, while still delivering the excitement of a real model rocket launch.
Teachable Moments in Every Flight
Powered by recommended Estes A10 engines, including the A10-PT or A10-0T, the Leaper reaches heights up to 75 feet. The controlled altitude makes it easier for students to visually track the full flight path from liftoff to landing, an important advantage during demonstrations or group launches.
At apogee, engine ejection shifts the center of gravity, allowing the rocket to right itself and descend gently without a parachute or streamer. Students can observe how balance and mass distribution affect stability, recovery, and landing orientation.
Ideal for Small Fields and Group Launches
The Leaper’s modest altitude and upright landing make it especially well suited for smaller outdoor spaces such as school fields or community parks. Its featherweight recovery system reduces drift, helping keep rockets closer to the launch site and simplifying retrieval during group activities.
Pair the Destination Mars™ Leaper™ with a Porta-Pad II launch pad and an Estes launch controller to create a complete, structured launch experience. Whether you are leading a classroom unit on space exploration, a summer camp STEM session, or a scouting activity, the Leaper delivers excitement, engagement, and meaningful learning with every countdown.
