Rocket sled

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Lt. Col. John P. Stapp rides the rocket sled at Edwards Air Force Base Rocket sled track.jpg
Lt. Col. John P. Stapp rides the rocket sled at Edwards Air Force Base

A rocket sled is a test platform that slides along a track (e.g. set of rails), propelled by rockets.

Contents

Sonic Wind No 1. This rocket sled was ridden by John Paul Stapp in the 1950s. Sonic Wind No 1.jpg
Sonic Wind No 1. This rocket sled was ridden by John Paul Stapp in the 1950s.

A rocket sled differs from a rocket car in not using wheels; at high speeds wheels would spin to pieces due to the extreme centrifugal forces. Apart from rare examples running on snow or ice (such as Max Valier's RAK BOBs of the late 1920s [1] and Harry Bull's BR-1 in 1931 [2] ), most rocket sleds run on a track. Although some rocket sleds ride on single beams or rails, most use a pair of rails. Standard gauge (1.435 m / 56.5 in) is common but sled tracks of narrower or wider gauge also exist. The rail cross-section profile is usually that of a Vignoles rail, commonly used for railroads. Sliding pads, called "slippers", are curved around the head of the rails to prevent the sled from flying off the track. Air cushions and magnetic levitation have also been used as alternatives, with potential benefits including reduced sled vibration.

A rocket sled holds the land-based speed record for a vehicle, at Mach 8.5. [3]

Usage

The vehicle that achieved Mach 8.5 8.5 Mach rocket sled 030430.jpg
The vehicle that achieved Mach 8.5
The Holloman Air Force Base track Holloman-sledtrack.jpg
The Holloman Air Force Base track

Rocket sleds were used extensively early in the Cold War to accelerate equipment considered too experimental (hazardous) for testing directly in piloted aircraft. The equipment to be tested under high acceleration or high airspeed conditions was installed along with appropriate instrumentation, data recording and telemetry equipment on the sled. The sled was then accelerated according to the experiment's design requirements for data collection along a length of isolated, precisely level and straight test track. Testing ejection seat systems and technology prior to their use in experimental or operational aircraft was a common application of the rocket sled at Holloman Air Force Base. Perhaps the most famous, the tracks at Edwards Air Force Base were used to test missiles, supersonic ejection seats, aircraft shapes and the effects of acceleration and deceleration on humans. The rocket sled track at Edwards Air Force Base was dismantled and used to extend the track at Holloman Air Force Base, taking it to almost 10 miles (16 km) in length.

Unmanned rocket sleds continue to be used to test missile components without requiring costly live missile launches. A world speed record of Mach 8.5 (6,416 mph / 10,325 km/h) was achieved by a four-stage rocket sled at Holloman Air Force Base on April 30, 2003, the highest speed ever attained by a land vehicle. [4]

Murphy's law first received public attention during a press conference about rocket sled testing. [5]

Rocket Sled Tracks

NameLocationCo-ordinatesCountryLengthGaugeRail TypeWelded/
Segmented
OpenedRenovatedClosedNotes
Holloman High Speed Test Track (HHSTT) Rails 1&2 Holloman AFB, Alamogordo, NM 32°53′17″N106°09′01″W / 32.8881°N 106.1502°W / 32.8881; -106.1502 USA50,971 ft
(15.536 km)
84 in
(2.1 m)
171Welded1950 [6] 1956, 1957, 1974, 2000, 2002Runs North-South
Supersonic Naval Ordnance Research Track (SNORT)NAWC-WD Naval Air Weapons Station, China Lake, CA 35°42′17″N117°44′27″W / 35.7047°N 117.7408°W / 35.7047; -117.7408 USA21,550 ft
(6.568 km)
56.5 in
(1.435 m)
171Welded19532006North-South
Holloman High Speed Test Track (HHSTT) Rail 3Holloman AFB, Alamogordo, NM 32°58′07″N106°09′25″W / 32.9687°N 106.15688°W / 32.9687; -106.15688 USA20,200 ft
(6.157 km)
26.3 in
(0.67 m)
171Welded1974North-South
Extended High-Speed Rocket Sled Track Edwards AFB, Edwards, CA 34°48′53″N117°54′30″W / 34.81485°N 117.9084°W / 34.81485; -117.9084 USA20,000 ft
(6.096 km)
56.5 in
(1.435 m)
171Welded194919591963Also known as South Base Sled Track (SBST). Rails used to lengthen HHSTT
Rail Track Rocket Sled Test Facility [7] [8] Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory Range, Ramgarh, Haryana 30°38′29″N76°55′21″E / 30.641470°N 76.922399°E / 30.641470; 76.922399 India3.8 km
(12,467 ft)
0.7–4.86 m
(28–191 in)
198820145 rails
North/South
Supersonic Military Air Research Track (SMART)Aircraft Interior Products Propulsion Systems, Hurricane Mesa, UT 37°14′18″N113°13′13″W / 37.2384°N 113.22037°W / 37.2384; -113.22037 USA12,000 ft
(3.658 km)
56.5 in
(1.435 m)
105Welded19551961**Now Privately Owned & Operational.
North-South
Sandia 2Technical Area III, Kirtland AFB, Albuquerque, NM 34°59′57″N106°33′23″W / 34.9992°N 106.55646°W / 34.9992; -106.55646 USA10,000 ft
(3.048 km)
0.56 m
(22 in)
19661985North-South
Rocket rail track 3500, FKP GkNIPAS Beloozyorsky 55°29′12″N38°29′54″E / 55.48677°N 38.49836°E / 55.48677; 38.49836 Russia3.5 km
(11,480 ft)
Segmented2014Formerly RD-2500. Used by Zvezda for ejection seat testing
RT-2650, FKP NII Geodeziya Krasnoarmeysk 56°07′08″N38°12′12″E / 56.11901°N 38.20345°E / 56.11901; 38.20345 Russia2,650 m
(8,694 ft)
R-7519561984
TsKP MIK of RFNC-VNIIEF Sarov 54°49′16″N43°15′11″E / 54.8212°N 43.2530°E / 54.8212; 43.2530 Russia3.0 km
(9,843 ft)
B-4 Transonic Test TrackNAWC-WD Naval Air Weapons Station, China Lake, CA 35°42′23″N117°48′19″W / 35.7063°N 117.80516°W / 35.7063; -117.80516 USA6,800 ft
(2,073 m)
56.5 in
(1.435 m)
75Welded1940
Martin-Baker Langford Lodge Langford Lodge, Northern Ireland 54°37′33″N6°17′56″W / 54.62581°N 6.29895°W / 54.62581; -6.29895 UK6,200 ft
(1,890 m)
30 in
(0.762 m)
801971Privately Owned & Operated by Martin-Baker
Pendine Long Test Track (LTT) QinetiQ, Pendine, Wales 51°44′17″N4°29′48″W / 51.73801°N 4.49680°W / 51.73801; -4.49680 UK1,500 m
(4,921 ft)
12 in
(0.305 m)
1031956
Centre D'essais Des Landes Single Rail R1 [9] Biscarrosse 44°20′47″N1°14′11″W / 44.34641°N 1.23640°W / 44.34641; -1.23640 France2.0 km
(6,562 ft)
MonorailSquare BeamSegmented19681974, ?(Foundation for 2nd rail in place)
G-4 Exterior and Terminal Ballistics Test TrackNAWC-WD Naval Air Weapons Station, China Lake, CA 35°52′05″N117°43′51″W / 35.86793°N 117.73071°W / 35.86793; -117.73071 USA3,000 ft
(914 m)
33.875 in
(0.860 m)
171Welded1954
ETTC KEMTF sled trackTest Area C-74, Eglin AFB, Ft. Walton Beach, FL 30°41′06″N86°19′38″W / 30.68503°N 86.32713°W / 30.68503; -86.32713 USA2,000 ft
(610 m)
56.5 in
(1.435 m)
171Welded1956
Sandia 1Technical Area III, Kirtland AFB, Albuquerque, NM 34°59′22″N106°32′39″W / 34.98955°N 106.54407°W / 34.98955; -106.54407 USA2,000 ft
(610 m)
56.5 in
(1.435 m)
1951North-South
Edwards North Base Track "G-Whiz" Edwards AFB, Edwards, CA 34°59′47″N117°51′29″W / 34.99641°N 117.85798°W / 34.99641; -117.85798 USA2,000 ft
(610 m)
Welded19441953Also known as North Base Sled Track (NBST).
East-West
Redstone Test Center Sled Track 1Test Area 1, Redstone Arsenal, AL 34°36′14″N86°38′42″W / 34.60375°N 86.64504°W / 34.60375; -86.64504 USA1,900 ft
(579 m)
Monorail1956Formerly Redstone Technical Test Center
Pendine Impact Test TrackQinetiQ, Pendine, Wales 51°44′29″N4°30′26″W / 51.74125°N 4.50728°W / 51.74125; -4.50728 UK400 m
(1,312 ft)
56.5 in
(1.435 m)
Centre D'essais Des Landes Single Rail R2 [9] Biscarrosse 44°21′11″N1°13′49″W / 44.35312°N 1.23039°W / 44.35312; -1.23039 France400 m
(1,312 ft)
0.60 m
(24 in)
Square BeamSegmented1967Former HB3 track, moved from CIEES Colomb-Béchar, Algeria
Redstone Test Center Sled Track 2Test Area 1, Redstone Arsenal, AL 34°36′06″N86°38′22″W / 34.60173°N 86.63935°W / 34.60173; -86.63935 USA1,200 ft
(366 m)
MonorailFormerly Redstone Technical Test Center
New Mexico Tech/EMRTC Sled TrackSocorro, NM 34°01′25″N106°58′41″W / 34.02348°N 106.97819°W / 34.02348; -106.97819 USA1,000 ft
(305 m)
Monorail171Privately owned & operated.
North-South
Pendine Short Test Track (STT)QinetiQ, Pendine, Wales 51°44′38″N4°30′33″W / 51.74375°N 4.50908°W / 51.74375; -4.50908 UK200 m
(656 ft)
General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical SystemsRock Hill, FL 30°36′54″N86°05′47″W / 30.61492°N 86.09640°W / 30.61492; -86.09640 USA656 ft
(200 m)
I-BeamPrivately Owned & Operated
Alkantpan Rocket Sled RangeAlkantpan Test Range, Copperton, Northern Cape 29°56′50″S22°13′36″E / 29.94715°S 22.22665°E / -29.94715; 22.22665 South Africa200 m
(656 ft)
0.5 m
(19.7 in)
Single or Double I-beamSegmented19851999Runs East to West

Subsonic and supersonic testing

Holloman Maglev TrackHolloman AFB, Alamogordo, NM 33°01′11″N106°09′39″W / 33.01975°N 106.16086°W / 33.01975; -106.16086 USA2,100 ft
(640 m)
North-South
GermanyGermanyI-Beam
Bundeswehr WTD 91 rocket sled track Meppen 52°51′47″N7°24′30″E / 52.8631°N 7.4084°E / 52.8631; 7.4084 Germany830 m
(2,723 ft)
AVIC ALI track [10] Xiangyang 32°23′38″N112°08′19″E / 32.3939°N 112.1386°E / 32.3939; 112.1386 China6.0 km
(19,685 ft)
1.435 m
(56.5 in)
Welded19932006Also known as XB High Accuracy Rocket Sled Test Track.
Muroran Institute of Technology APReC HSTT [11] Shiraoi 42°32′09″N141°15′21″E / 42.5358°N 141.2558°E / 42.5358; 141.2558 Japan300 m
(984 ft)
1.435 m
(56.5 in)
2009
Muroran Institute of Technology APReC SSTT Shiraoi 42°32′09″N141°15′19″E / 42.5357°N 141.2552°E / 42.5357; 141.2552 Japan100 m
(328 ft)
0.128 m
(5.04 in)
2008
TÜBİTAK SAGE HABRAS Karapınar 37°37′16″N33°27′48″E / 37.6212°N 33.4634°E / 37.6212; 33.4634 Turkey2.0 km
(6,562 ft)
2017

Other former rocket sled tracks include those at the following locations:

See also

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References

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