List of sounding rockets
Encyclopedia
This is a list of sounding rockets used for suborbital research flights.
Argentina
- Canopus
- RigelRigel (rocket)Rigel is the name of an Argentinian sounding rocket. The double stage Rigel was launched seven times between 1969 and 1973. The Rigel rocket has a maximum altitude of 310 km, a launch mass of 300 kg, a diameter of 0.228 metres and a length of 6.30 metres....
- OrionOrion (Argentine rocket)Orion-1 was the designation of a sounding rocket of Argentina, which was started between 1965 and 1971 by CELPA and by Wallops Island.The Orion possessed a takeoff weight of 100 kg . It had a length of 4 m , a diameter of 0.21 m , and a ceiling of 95 km ....
- More detail info
Brazil
- Sonda
- Sonda I
- Sonda II
- Sonda III
- Sonda III-A
- Sonda IV
- VS-30VS-30The VS-30 is an Argentine-Brazilian sounding rocket, derived from the Sonda 3 sounding rocket's first stage. It consists of a single, solid-fuelled stage, and has been launched from Alcântara, Maranhão, and Parnamirim, Rio Grande do Norte, in Brazil, and Andøya in Norway.It has been launched both...
- VS-40VS-40The VS-40 is a Brazilian sounding rocket using solid fuel, stabilized aerodynamically, distributed between the first stage S-40TM engine and the second stage S-44 engine.-Flights:...
- VS-43 – under development
- VSB-30VSB-30VSB-30 - "Veículo de Sondagem Booster – 30" is the designation of a Brazilian sounding rocket, which replaced the Skylark rocket at Esrange....
- VSV-30
France
- AigleAigle (rocket)Aigle was a French experimental rocket launched several times between 1960 and 1961. The Aigle was propelled by 984 kilograms of solid fuel and measured 55 cm in diameter. It could propel 360 kilograms of payload to an altitude of up to 6 kilometers....
- AgateAgate (rocket)Agate is the designation of an unguided French test rocket. The Agate has a length of 8.50 meters, a diameter of 0.80 meters, a start mass of 3.2 tonnes, a takeoff thrust of 186 kN and a ceiling of 20 km. The Agate was launched from the Hammaguir and Ile de Levant test sites, in order to test...
- BelierBelierBelier is the designation of a single-step French elevator research rocket, which in three versions between 1961 and 1970 by Hammaguir, Salto di Quirra, Ile you Levant and Kourou was started...
- BereniceBerenice (rocket)Berenice was the designation of a four-stage French experimental rocket. Berenice 001 to Berenice 012 were tested from 1962 to 1966. The Berenice was 13.25 meters long, possessed a diameter of 0.56 meters and weighed at launch 3340 kg. The takeoff thrust of the Berenice, which could carry a...
- CentaureCentaureCentaure is the designation of a two-stage French sounding rocket consisting of a Belier starting stage and a Venus upper stage. The Centaure has been built in a number of 230 and has been launched from Hammaguir, Reggane, CELPA, Salto di Quirra, Esrange, Thumba, Sonmiani and Andøya...
- CoraCora (rocket)Cora is the name of a single-stage French experimental rocket, which was propelled with nitrogen tetroxide and UDMH. The Cora rocket served for component testing for planned Europe Rocket. The first stage of the Cora was 5.5 metres long and had a diameter of 2 metres. It weighed with fuel 9.85...
- DanielDaniel (rocket)Daniel is the designation of a French experimental rocket. It consists of 3 stages and was launched three times between 1959 and 1961 from the Ile de Levant. The Daniel reached a maximum height of 130 km and had a takeoff weight of 1000 kg, a diameter of 0.40 m and a length of 8.40 m...
- DauphinDauphin (rocket)The Dauphin is a French sounding rocket, of which six versions were constructed between 1967 and 1978. It represents a modification of the starting stage of the Dragon with a larger payload nosecone....
- DragonDragon (rocket)The Dragon is a two-stage French solid propellant sounding rocket used for high altitude research. Its first stage was a Stromboli engine which burned 675 kg of fuel in 16 s and so produced a maximum thrust of 88 kN. A Belier engine was used as the upper stage...
- Emeraude
- EridanEridanThe Eridan is a two-stage French sounding rocket, which resulted from the use of the Stromboli engine of the Dragon and/or Dauphin as first and second stage. It belonged thereby to a family of solid-propellant rockets from the Belier, the Centaure, to the Dragon, which existed Dauphin and the Eridan...
- MonicaMonica (rocket)Monica is the designation of a small French sounding rocket. It was built in several versions, which were between 3.05 and 6.27 m long and had a takeoff weight between 62 and 154 kg. It was launched several times between 1955 and 1962 at Bachar , Hammaguir and the Ile de Levant ....
- RubisRubisThe Rubis is a French two-stage rocket. As its first stage the Rubis uses an Agate engine, and as its second stage, a P064 engine. The Rubis has a maximum altutude of 2000 kilometers, a takeoff thrust of 186 kN, a diameter of 0.80 m and a length of 9.60 m. The Rubis was launched eleven times from...
- SaphirSaphirSaphir is the name of a French elevator research rocket and means "sapphire" in the French language. The Saphir was used between 1965 and 1967 and had a payload capacity of 365 kilograms. The rocket could reach a maximum height of 1000 kilometers, had a takeoff thrust of 280 kilonewtons, a takeoff...
- Tacite
- TibereTibereThe Tibere was a French experimental rocket for atmospheric reentry tests. The three-stage Tibere was started to 23.2.1971 and to 18.3.1972 by Biscarosse within the framework of the program ELECTRE. Here flight altitudes were reached by 159 kilometers. The first stage of the Tibere had similarly as...
- TitusTitus (rocket)Titus is the designation of a French sounding rocket which was developed for observation of the total solar eclipse in Argentina on November 12, 1966. The Titus was a two-stage rocket with a length of 11.5 m, a launch weight of 3.4 tons, and a diameter of 56 cm. It reached a maximum height of...
- TopazeTopazeTopaze is the designation of a French sounding rocket. The Topaze was built by SEREB and was the first guidable French elevator research rocket...
- VéroniqueVéroniqueVéronique is the designation of a French sounding rocket with liquid fuel drive that was developed partly by German scientists who worked in Peenemünde. The Véronique was built between 1950 and 1969 in several versions, of which the versions P2, P6 and R were only experimental models. They were...
Germany
- Mohr RocketMohr RocketThe Mohr Rocket was a sounding rocket developed by Ernst Mohr in Wuppertal, Germany.It was a single stage solid fuel rocket with:*a length of 1.7 metres,*a total mass of 150 kg ,*a lift-off thrust of 76.5 kN and a diameter of 0.3 m....
- CirrusCirrus (rocket)The Cirrus is a sounding rocket with two stages, developed by the "Hermann Oberth Society". Its first launch was on September 16, 1961. The maximum height of the Cirrus, depending on the version, is 35 kilometres or 50 kilometres. A Cirrus rocket is exhibited at the Hermann Oberth Space Travel...
- KumulusKumulus (rocket)Kumulus is the name of a rocket of the "Hermann-Oberth-Gesellschaft e.V.". The first Kumulus rocket was launched on December 20, 1960 near Cuxhaven...
- Seliger RocketSeliger RocketSeliger Rocket is the designation for the sounding rockets of the Berthold Seliger Forschungs- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH. They were# A single-stage rocket with a length of 3.4 metres and a takeoff thrust of 50 kN...
India
- Rohini Series
- RH-75
- RH-125
- RH-200
- RH-300
- RH-300 Mk II
- RH-560
United Kingdom
- LeopardLeopard (rocket)Leopard is the name of a British double stage experimental rocket, which was launched between 1959 and 1962 eleven times from Aberporth. The Leopard has a flight altitude of 20 kilometres, a launch mass of 1.5 tons and a length of 6 metres....
- SkuaSkua (rocket)Skua is the designation of a British sounding rocket which was launched between 1959 and 1981 in 4 versions over 300 times. The Skua was developed by Bristol Aerojet and RPE Wescott. It consisted of a starting stage made up of several Chick rockets that burned for 0.2 seconds. They propelled the...
- PetruelPetrel (rocket)The Petrel was a British sounding rocket. The Petrel 1 was launched, like the Skua 1, with 3 Chick booster rockets. The Chick motors were fitted in a Booster Carriage that also carried the two parachutes that brought it back to earth for re-use. The Petrel 1 was 3.34 m long, had a diameter of...
- RookRook (rocket)Rook is the name of a British rocket. Twenty five Rook rockets were launched between 1959 and 1972. The launches took place from Aberporth in Wales and from Woomera in South Australia. The Rook has a maximum flight altitude of 20 kilometres, a launch mass of 1.2 tons and a length of 5 metres....
- SkylarkSkylark (rocket)Skylark was a British sounding rocket design. The Skylark was first launched in 1957 from Woomera, Australia and its 441st and final launch took place from Esrange, Sweden on 2 May 2005...
- Black KnightBlack Knight (rocket)Black Knight was a British launch vehicle to test and verify the design of a re-entry vehicle for the Blue Streak missile.The United Kingdom's first indigenous rocketry project, Black Knight was manufactured by Saunders-Roe on the Isle of Wight, had its engines tested at The Needles and was...
- JaguarJaguar (rocket)The Jaguar was a three-stage British elevator research rocket built in several versions.The first stage of the Jabiru Mk.1 was 5.6 m long and had a takeoff weight of 1,170 kilograms, of which about 866 kilograms were fuel. The second stage of the Jabiru Mk.1 weighed 292 kilograms, of which 184...
- FulmarFulmar (rocket)The Fulmar was a two-stage British elevator research rocket. The Fulmar, developed by Bristol Aerojet, consisted of a Heron starting stage with 107 kN thrust and a Snipe upper stage with 16.7 kN thrust. The Fulmar had a diameter of 26 centimetres and a length of 7.47 metres. It weighed 500...
- FalstaffFalstaff (rocket)Falstaff is the name of a British hypersonic research rocket. The Falstaff was 5.3 m long and had a diameter of 92 cm. It weighed 5.09 tonnes of which 4.34 tonnes was solid propellant. The Falstaff was launched seven times between 1969 and 1979 at Woomera, Australia....
United States
- Aerobee
- ArcasArcasIn Greek mythology, Arcas was the son of Zeus and Callisto. Callisto was a nymph in the retinue of the goddess Artemis. Zeus, being a flirtatious god, wanted Callisto for a lover. As she would not be with anyone but Artemis, Zeus cunningly disguised himself as Artemis and seduced Callisto...
, Boosted Arcas - AstrobeeAstrobeeAstrobee is the designation of series of American sounding rockets with 1 - 3 stages. Several versions were realized.The three-stage Astrobee 500 has a ceiling of 1000 km, a takeoff thrust of 161 kN, a takeoff weight of 900 kg, a diameter of 0.38 m and a length of 7.80 m.The three-stage Astrobee...
- Blue Scout Junior
- BumperBumper (rocket)After a July 1946 suggestion by to combine the V-2 rocket and WAC Corporal, the US Bumper missile program was inaugurated on June 20, 1947:* to investigate launching techniques for a two-stage missile and separation of the two stages at high velocity,...
- Castor 4B
- Castor Orbus
- JavelinJavelin (rocket)Javelin was the designation of an American sounding rocket. The four stage Javelin rocket had a payload of around 125 pounds , an apogee of 1100 kilometers, a liftoff thrust of 365 kilonewtons , a total mass of 3,385 kilograms , and a core diameter of 580 centimeters...
- Jupiter-A
- Jupiter-CJupiter-CThe Jupiter-C was an American sounding rocket used for three sub-orbital spaceflights in 1956 and 1957 to test re-entry nosecones that were later to be deployed on the more advanced PGM-19 Jupiter mobile missile....
- Little JoeLittle JoeLittle Joe was an unmanned United States solid-fueled booster rocket used for eight launches from 1959–1960 from Wallops Island, Virginia to test the launch escape system and heat shield for Project Mercury capsules, as well as the name given to the test program using the booster...
- LokiLoki (rocket)Loki, officially designated 76mm HEAA Rocket T220, was an American unguided anti-aircraft rocket based on the German Taifun. Like the Taifun, Loki never saw service in its original role, but later found widespread use as a sounding rocket...
, Super Loki - MaxusMaxus (rocket)Maxus is a sounding rocket that are used in the MAXUS microgravity rocket programme, a joint venture between Swedish Space Corporation and EADS Astrium Space Transportation used by ESA...
- NikeProject NikeProject Nike was a U.S. Army project, proposed in May 1945 by Bell Laboratories, to develop a line-of-sight anti-aircraft missile system. The project delivered the United States' first operational anti-aircraft missile system, the Nike Ajax, in 1953...
, Nike Apache, Nike Hydac, Nike Iroquois, Nike Javelin, Nike Malemute, Nike Nike, Nike Orion, Nike Recruit, Nike T40 T55, Nike Tomahawk, Nike Viper, Nike-Asp, Nike Cajun, Nike-Deacon , Nike Hawk - Orion
- Prospector
- Sidewinder ArcasSidewinder ArcasSidewinder Arcas is the designation of a two-stage sounding rocket, consisting of a Sidewinder starting stage and an Arcas upper stage. The Sidewinder Arcas has a ceiling of 90 km, a takeoff thrust of 26 kN, a takeoff weight of 120 kg, a diameter of 130 mm and a length of 4.80 m....
, Sidewinder-Raven - SpaceLoft XLSpaceLoft XLThe SpaceLoft XL is a sounding rocket developed by UP Aerospace. The rocket has a diameter of 10 inches , and is 20 feet long. It is capable of lofting a 110 lb payload to a sub-orbital trajectory with an apogee of 140 miles...
, UP AerospaceUP AerospaceUP Aerospace, Inc. is a private spaceflight corporation based out of Denver, Colorado. UP Aerospace provides ultra-low cost space access and payload transportation for corporate, military and educational payloads, via their SpaceLoft XL Sounding rocket launch vehicles.- History and Future Plans... - Starbird
- StrypiStrypiStrypi is the name of a US sounding rocket. The Strypi has two stages. The first stage consists of two Recruit, the second of one Castor-rocket...
- TE-416 TomahawkTE-416 TomahawkThe TE-416 Tomahawk is a rocket developed by the American company Thiokol at the beginning of the 1960s for Sandia National Laboratories. Although the TE-416 Tomahawk can be launched alone, it was started predominantly as upper stage in connection with other rockets, for example with a Nike rocket...
- Tiamat
- Viking
- Wac CorporalWac CorporalThe WAC or WAC Corporal was the first sounding rocket developed in the United States. Begun as a spinoff of the Corporal program, the WAC was a "little sister" to the larger Corporal. It was designed and built jointly by the Douglas Aircraft Company and the Guggenheim Aeronautical Laboratory.The...