Nike Hydac
Encyclopedia
Nike Hydac is the designation of an American sounding rocket
with two stages, based upon the Nike Ajax system. The Nike Hydac was launched 87 times from many missile sites. Such sites were White Sands Missile Range
, Poker Flat Research Range
("Poker Flats"), Kwajalein Missile Range, Cassino Site - Rio Grande Airport
, Brazil
and North Truro Air Force Station
.
The directing agency for Nike Hydac was the Air Force Cambridge Research Laboratory, (AFCRL) Cambridge, Massachusetts
. The AFCRL began its origins to the Cambridge Field Station in 1945 to analyze and study Massachusetts Institute of Technology
(MIT) wartime efforts on electronic countermeasures and atmospheric research.
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...
with two stages, based upon the Nike Ajax system. The Nike Hydac was launched 87 times from many missile sites. Such sites were White Sands Missile Range
White Sands Missile Range
White Sands Missile Range is a rocket range of almost in parts of five counties in southern New Mexico. The largest military installation in the United States, WSMR includes the and the WSMR Otera Mesa bombing range...
, Poker Flat Research Range
Poker Flat Research Range
The Poker Flat Research Range is a launch facility and rocket range for sounding rockets in the U.S. state of Alaska, owned and operated by the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute since 1968...
("Poker Flats"), Kwajalein Missile Range, Cassino Site - Rio Grande Airport
Rio Grande Airport
Rio Grande Airport , also known as Gustavo Cramer Airport is the airport serving Rio Grande, Brazil.It is operated by DAP.-Airlines and destinations:-External links:...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
and North Truro Air Force Station
North Truro Air Force Station
North Truro Air Force Station is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located east of North Truro, Massachusetts....
.
The directing agency for Nike Hydac was the Air Force Cambridge Research Laboratory, (AFCRL) Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
. The AFCRL began its origins to the Cambridge Field Station in 1945 to analyze and study Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
(MIT) wartime efforts on electronic countermeasures and atmospheric research.
Nike platform
- Section source: Astronautix
- Type: two stage
- Stage 1: Nike - solid propellant rocket stage, loaded/empty mass 599/256 kg
- Stage 2: Hydac - solid propellant rocket stage, loaded mass 300 kg
- Gross mass: 900 kg (1,980 lb)
- Height: 9.10 m (29.80 ft)
- Diameter: 0.42 m (1.37 ft)
- Thrust: 217.00 kN (48,783 lbf)
- Apogee: 150 km (90 mi)
- First date: 1966-11-05
- Last date: 1983-06-16
- Number: 87 launches
- Type: two stage
Other Nike sounding rockets
- Nike ApacheNike ApacheThe Nike Apache was a two-stage sounding rocket used by NASA to loft instruments into the upper atmosphere. The Nike Apache was launched 636 times between 1961 and 1978...
- Nike IroquoisNike IroquoisNike Iroquois is the designation of a two-stage American sounding rocket. The Nike Iroquois was launched 213 times between 1964 and 1978. The maximum flight height of the Nike Iroquois amounts to 290 km , the takeoff thrust 48,800 lbf , the takeoff weight 700 kg and the length 8.00...
- Nike JavelinNike JavelinNike Javelin is the designation of an American two-stage sounding rocket. The Nike Javelin was launched 34 times between 1964 and 1978. The maximum flight altitude of the Nike Javelin was 130 km, the takeoff thrust 217 kN, takeoff weight 900 kg, diameter 0.42 m and length...
- Nike MalemuteNike MalemuteNike Malemute is the designation of a two-stage American sounding rocket, consisting of a Nike starting stage and a Malemute upper stage. The Nike Malemute has a ceiling of 500 km , a takeoff thrust of 48,800 lbf , a takeoff weight of 1,000 kg , a diameter of 0.42 m and a length of...
- Nike NikeNike NikeNike Nike is the designation of a U.S. sounding rocket. The Nike Nike consists of two Nike rocket stages and reaches a ceiling of 352 km. The Nike Nike was used 16 times between 1954 and 1979....
- Nike OrionNike OrionNike Orion is the designation of a two-stage American elevator research rocket, with a Nike base stage and an Orion upper stage. The Nike Orion is 9 m long, has a diameter of 0.42 m, a launch weight of 1100 kilograms , a launch thrust of 217 kN and a ceiling of 140 km .-External links:*...
- Nike RecruitNike RecruitNike Recruit is the designation of a two-stage American sounding rocket, using a Nike rocket as the booster stage. The Nike Recruit has an apogee of 5 km, a liftoff thrust of 217 kN, a total mass of 1100 kg and a total length of 8.00 m....
- Nike T40 T55Nike T40 T55Nike T40 T55 is the designation of an Japanese three-stage sounding rocket consisting of a Nike, a T40 and a T55 stage. It has a liftoff thrust of 217 kN and a length of 9 metres....
- Nike TomahawkNike TomahawkThe Nike Tomahawk was a two stage American sounding rocket. The first stage was a Nike rocket, the second a Tomahawk rocket.The Nike Tomahawk has a ceiling of 230 statute miles , a payload capacity of 100 pounds , a launch thrust of 49,000 pounds of force , a launch weight of 2,200 pounds , a...
- Nike ViperNike ViperNike Viper is the designation of a two-stage American sounding rocket, consisting of a Nike starting stage and a Viper upper stage. The Nike Viper has a ceiling of 80 km, a takeoff thrust of 217 kN , a takeoff weight of 600 kg and a length of 8.00 m....
- Nike-AspNike-AspNike Asp is the designation of an American sounding rocket. The Nike Asp has a ceiling of 220 km, a takeoff thrust of 217 kN, a takeoff weight of 700 kg, a diameter of 0.42 m and a length of 7.90 m....
- Nike-CajunNike-CajunThe Nike-Cajun was a two-stage sounding rocket built by combining a Nike base stage with a Cajun upper stage. It was launched 714 times between 1956 and 1976 and was the most frequently used sounding rocket of the western world...
- Nike-DeaconNike-DeaconNike Deacon is the designation of an American sounding rocket. The Nike Deacon has a ceiling of 189 km, a takeoff thrust of 217 kN, a takeoff weight of 710 kg, a diameter of 0.42 m and a length of 7.74 m....