Maxus (rocket) - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Maxus is a sounding rocket

Sounding rocket

A sounding rocket, sometimes called a research rocket, is an instrument-carrying rocket designed to take measurements and perform scientific experiments during its sub-orbital flight. The origin of the term comes from nautical vocabulary, where to sound is to throw a weighted line from a ship into...

that are used in the MAXUS microgravity rocket programme, a joint venture between Swedish Space Corporation

Swedish Space Corporation

The Swedish Space Corporation is a comprehensive space company covering the entire field, from the definition of innovative business concepts and space projects to the development, tests and operation of the systems....

and EADS Astrium Space Transportation used by ESA. It is launched from Esrange Space Center

Esrange

Esrange Space Center is a rocket range and research centre located outside the town of Kiruna in northern Sweden. It is a base for scientific research with high altitude balloons, investigation of the aurora borealis, sounding rocket launches, and satellite tracking, among other things...

in Sweden

Sweden

Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....

and provides access to microgravity for up to 14 minutes.

Technical characteristics

Overall length: 15.5 m
Overall mass: 12 400 kg
Payload mass: approx. 800 kg
Max. velocity: 3500 m/s
Max. acceleration: 15 g
Propellant mass: 10 042 kg
Motor burn time: 63 sec
Microgravity: up to 14 minutes
Apogee: > 700 km
Thrust(max. in vacuum): 500 kN

Missions

Mission	Date	Launch site	Motor	Apogee	Payload	Modules	Comments	Reference Report
Maxus 1	1991 May 8	Esrange Esrange Esrange Space Center is a rocket range and research centre located outside the town of Kiruna in northern Sweden. It is a base for scientific research with high altitude balloons, investigation of the aurora borealis, sounding rocket launches, and satellite tracking, among other things...	Castor Castor (rocket stage) The Castor family of solid-fuel rocket stages and boosters were built by Thiokol and used on a variety of launch vehicles. They were initially developed as the second stage motor of the Scout rocket... 4B	154 km
Maxus 1B	1992 Nov 8	Esrange Esrange Esrange Space Center is a rocket range and research centre located outside the town of Kiruna in northern Sweden. It is a base for scientific research with high altitude balloons, investigation of the aurora borealis, sounding rocket launches, and satellite tracking, among other things...	Castor Castor (rocket stage) The Castor family of solid-fuel rocket stages and boosters were built by Thiokol and used on a variety of launch vehicles. They were initially developed as the second stage motor of the Scout rocket... 4B	717 km			Successful
Maxus 2	1995 Nov 29	Esrange Esrange Esrange Space Center is a rocket range and research centre located outside the town of Kiruna in northern Sweden. It is a base for scientific research with high altitude balloons, investigation of the aurora borealis, sounding rocket launches, and satellite tracking, among other things...	Castor Castor (rocket stage) The Castor family of solid-fuel rocket stages and boosters were built by Thiokol and used on a variety of launch vehicles. They were initially developed as the second stage motor of the Scout rocket... 4B	706 km			Successful
Maxus 3	1998 Nov 24	Esrange Esrange Esrange Space Center is a rocket range and research centre located outside the town of Kiruna in northern Sweden. It is a base for scientific research with high altitude balloons, investigation of the aurora borealis, sounding rocket launches, and satellite tracking, among other things...	Castor Castor (rocket stage) The Castor family of solid-fuel rocket stages and boosters were built by Thiokol and used on a variety of launch vehicles. They were initially developed as the second stage motor of the Scout rocket... 4B	713 km	798 kg	5/ESA	Successful	Esrange EUP105-99006
Maxus 4	2001 Apr 29	Esrange Esrange Esrange Space Center is a rocket range and research centre located outside the town of Kiruna in northern Sweden. It is a base for scientific research with high altitude balloons, investigation of the aurora borealis, sounding rocket launches, and satellite tracking, among other things...	Castor Castor (rocket stage) The Castor family of solid-fuel rocket stages and boosters were built by Thiokol and used on a variety of launch vehicles. They were initially developed as the second stage motor of the Scout rocket... 4B	704 km	803 kg	5/ESA	Mostly successful; parachute failed	Esrange EUP110-E15
Maxus 5	2003 Apr 1	Esrange Esrange Esrange Space Center is a rocket range and research centre located outside the town of Kiruna in northern Sweden. It is a base for scientific research with high altitude balloons, investigation of the aurora borealis, sounding rocket launches, and satellite tracking, among other things...	Castor Castor (rocket stage) The Castor family of solid-fuel rocket stages and boosters were built by Thiokol and used on a variety of launch vehicles. They were initially developed as the second stage motor of the Scout rocket... 4B	703 km	795 kg	5/ESA	Mostly successful; rough landing	Esrange EUP114-E114
Maxus 6	2004 Nov 22	Esrange Esrange Esrange Space Center is a rocket range and research centre located outside the town of Kiruna in northern Sweden. It is a base for scientific research with high altitude balloons, investigation of the aurora borealis, sounding rocket launches, and satellite tracking, among other things...	Castor Castor (rocket stage) The Castor family of solid-fuel rocket stages and boosters were built by Thiokol and used on a variety of launch vehicles. They were initially developed as the second stage motor of the Scout rocket... 4B	707 km	793 kg	5/ESA	Successful	Esrange EUP117-E146
Maxus 7	2006 May 2	Esrange Esrange Esrange Space Center is a rocket range and research centre located outside the town of Kiruna in northern Sweden. It is a base for scientific research with high altitude balloons, investigation of the aurora borealis, sounding rocket launches, and satellite tracking, among other things...	Castor Castor (rocket stage) The Castor family of solid-fuel rocket stages and boosters were built by Thiokol and used on a variety of launch vehicles. They were initially developed as the second stage motor of the Scout rocket... 4B	705 km	785 kg	5/ESA	Successful	Esrange EUP124-E36
Maxus 8	2010 March 26	Esrange Esrange Esrange Space Center is a rocket range and research centre located outside the town of Kiruna in northern Sweden. It is a base for scientific research with high altitude balloons, investigation of the aurora borealis, sounding rocket launches, and satellite tracking, among other things...	Castor Castor (rocket stage) The Castor family of solid-fuel rocket stages and boosters were built by Thiokol and used on a variety of launch vehicles. They were initially developed as the second stage motor of the Scout rocket... 4B	703 km	803 kg	3/Astrium ST 1/SSC SSC -In arts and entertainment:* Singapore Symphony Chorus* Saïan Supa Crew, a French rap group* So Solid Crew, a UK garage group-Businesses:* Seoul Semiconductor Company, a Korean manufacturer of LEDs...	Successful

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