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Centuri

Lee Piester named Centuri after the constellation Centauri. He started the rocketry company in his garage in 1961. The company grew to be the largest competitor of Estes and was acquired by Damon shortly after Damon bought Estes.

References:

ROCK's March, 2010, Launch (Article)
Snitch (Miscellaneous)
Alien Scoutship Flying Saucer (Miscellaneous)
Irv Wait (Miscellaneous)
Leroy Piester (Miscellaneous)
Doug Malewicki (Miscellaneous)
Damon Corporation (Miscellaneous)
Grant Boyd (Miscellaneous)
Quest Model Rocketry (Miscellaneous)
Toy Biz, Inc. (Miscellaneous)
Estes-Cox Corp. (Miscellaneous)
Barry Tunick (Miscellaneous)
The Six Million Dollar Man (Miscellaneous)
Coaster Corporation (Miscellaneous)
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (Miscellaneous)
Irv Wait applied for a patent for a "Rocket Engine Igniter" which later was marketed as the Centuri Sure-Shot igniter on October 18, 1965.
Irv Wait received a patent for a "Rocket Engine Igniter" which later was marketed as the Centuri Sure-Shot igniter on January 21, 1969.