Scout (rocket family)

Last updated
Scout
Scout launch vehicle.jpg
The first launch of Scout B, in 1965.
Function Orbital launch vehicle
Manufacturer LTV Aerospace Corporation [1]
Country of originUnited States
Launch history
StatusRetired
[ edit on Wikidata]

The Scout family of rockets were American launch vehicles designed to place small satellites into orbit around the Earth. The Scout multistage rocket was the first orbital launch vehicle to be entirely composed of solid fuel stages. It was also the only vehicle of that type until the successful launch of the Japanese Lambda 4S in 1970.

Contents

The original Scout (a backronym for Solid Controlled Orbital Utility Test system) was designed in 1957 at the NACA, at Langley center. Scout launch vehicles were used from 1961 until 1994. To enhance reliability the development team opted to use "off the shelf" hardware, originally produced for military programs. According to the NASA fact sheet:

"... the first stage motor was a combination of the Jupiter Senior and the Navy Polaris; the second stage came from the Army MGM-29 Sergeant; and the third and fourth stage motors were designed by Langley engineers who adapted a version of the Navy Vanguard." [2]

The first successful orbital launch of a Scout, on February 16, 1961, delivered Explorer 9, a 7 kilograms (15 lb) satellite used for atmospheric density studies, into orbit. [3] The final launch of a Scout, using a Scout G-1, was on May 8, 1994, from Vandenberg Air Force Base. The payload was the Miniature Sensor Technology Integration Series 2 (MSTI-2) military spacecraft with a mass of 163 kilograms (359 lb). MSTI-2 successfully acquired and tracked a LGM-30 Minuteman missile. [4] [5] [6]

The standard Scout launch vehicle was a solid propellant, four-stage booster system, approximately 23 meters (75 ft) in length with a launch weight of 21,499 kilograms (47,397 lb). [7]

Scout A

The Scout A was used for launches of the Transit NNSS series (Transit-O 6 to 19), placing two satellites in orbit at the same time. [8] Twelve flights were conducted between 21 December 1965 and 27 August 1970. [8] It was also used to launch the British Ariel 3 scientific satellite. [8] Standard payload capability was 122 kg into a low-Earth orbit. [9]

Parameters

Scout vehicle general arrangement Scout rocket general arrangement.png
Scout vehicle general arrangement

Stage 1: Algol

Stage 2: Castor

Stage 3:Antares

Stage 4: Altair

Scout-X1 (NASA)

First launch of satellite on Scout X-1 - Explorer 9, Wallops, 16 Feb 1961 Scout X-1 with Explorer 9 Feb 16 1961 2.JPG
First launch of satellite on Scout X-1 - Explorer 9, Wallops, 16 Feb 1961

In the late 1950s, NASA established the Scout program to develop a multistage solid-propellant space booster and research rocket. The U.S. Air Force also participated in the program, but different requirements led to some divergence in the development of NASA and USAF Scouts.

The basic NASA Scout configuration, from which all variants were derived, was known as Scout-X1. It was a four-stage rocket, which used the following motors:

Scout's first-stage motor was based on an earlier version of the Navy's Polaris missile motor; the second-stage motor was developed from the Army's Sergeant surface-to-surface missile; and the third- and fourth-stage motors were adapted by NASA's Langley Research Center; Hampton, VA, from the Navy's Vanguard launch vehicle. [7] Unlike the Thor or Atlas-Agena the Scout was non-military and could be sold to foreign customers. [10]

The Scout X-1 first flew successfully on 10 October 1960, after an earlier failure in July 1960. The rocket's first stage had four stabilizing fins, and the vehicle incorporated a gyro-based guidance system for attitude stabilization to keep the rocket on course.

Satellites orbited

Scout X-1A

Scout X-1A was an American sounding rocket which was flown in 1962. [17] It was a five-stage derivative of the earlier Scout X-1, with an uprated first stage, and a NOTS-17 upper stage.

Scout X-2

Scout X-2 was an American expendable launch system and sounding rocket which was flown twice in 1962. It was a four-stage rocket, based on the earlier Scout X-1, introducing the Algol 1D [18] and Antares IIB stage upgrades. On 1962-08-23 a Scout X-2 was used for the first successful launch of a DMSP satellite, lifting off from Point Arguello near Vandenberg Air Force Base. [19] [20]

Scout X-3

Scout X-3 with first British built satellite Ariel 2, 1964 Scout X-3 with Ariel 2 satellite (Mar. 27, 1964) 1.gif
Scout X-3 with first British built satellite Ariel 2, 1964

The Scout X-3 flew after 1962 and introduced the Algol IIA upgrade. [21]

Scout X-4

Scout X-4 with first Italian satellite San Marco 1, 1964 Scout X-4 with San Marco 1 1964-12-15.gif
Scout X-4 with first Italian satellite San Marco 1, 1964

The Scout X-4 flew after 1963 and introduced Altair 2 upgrade. [22]

Scout A-1

The Scout A-1 flew in 1973 and introduced the Castor IIA upgrades. [23]

Scout B-1

The Scout B-1 flew after 1971 and introduced the Altair III upgrades. [24]

Scout D-1

The Scout D-1 flew in 1972 and introduced the Algol III upgrade. [25]

Scout F-1

The Scout F-1 flew twice in 1975, and was composed of a Algol-3A first stage, a Castor-2A second stage, a Antares-2B third stage and a Star-20 fourth stage. [26] It successfully launched Small Astronomy Satellite 3 from the San Marco Launch Complex, but failed on launching the Dual Air Density Explorer satellites from Vandenberg. [27] [28]

Scout G-1

The Scout G-1 flew from 1974 until the Scout's retirement in 1994. [29] It was rated to orbit a 210 kg payload.

XRM-89 Blue Scout I (USAF)

Blue Scout I on LC-18 in 1961 Blue Scout.jpg
Blue Scout I on LC-18 in 1961

The USAF Scout program was known as HETS (Hyper Environmental Test System) or System 609A, and the rockets were generally referred to as Blue Scout. The prime contractor for the NASA Scout was LTV, but the Blue Scout prime contractor was Ford Aeronutronics.

By using different combinations of rocket stages, the USAF created several different Blue Scout configurations. One of these was the XRM-89 Blue Scout I, which was a three-stage vehicle, using Castor 2 and an Antares 1A stages, but omitting the basic Scout's Altair 4th stage. The first launch of an XRM-89 occurred on 1961-01-07, and was mostly successful. On that flight, the XRM-89 carried a variety of experiments to measure rocket performance and high-altitude fields and particle radiation. The payload was located in a recoverable reentry capsule, but the capsule sank before it could be recovered from the water. The only other XRM-89 launches (in May 1961 and April 1962) were unsuccessful, and the Blue Scout I program was terminated in 1962.

XRM-90 Blue Scout II (USAF)

Mercury-Scout 1, an Air Force Blue Scout II launched for NASA Mercury-Scout-1.jpg
Mercury-Scout 1, an Air Force Blue Scout II launched for NASA

The XRM-90 Blue Scout II was a rocket of the U.S. Air Force's System 609A Blue Scout family. The XRM-90 was a four-stage rocket, which used the same stages as the basic NASA Scout. It was nevertheless not identical to the latter, because the 4th stage was hidden in a payload fairing with the same diameter as the 3rd stage, and the first stage nozzle used a flared tail skirt between the fins. Externally, the XRM-90 was indistinguishable from the XRM-89 Blue Scout I.

The first XRM-90 launch occurred on 1961-03-03, followed by a second one on 1961-04-12. Both sub-orbital flights were successful, and measured radiation levels in the Van Allen belts. The second Blue Scout II also carried a micrometeorite sampling experiment, but the recovery of the reentry capsule failed. The third XRM-90 was used by NASA in November 1961 for Mercury-Scout 1. This was an attempt to orbit a communications payload for Project Mercury, but the rocket failed after 28 seconds of flight. The USAF subsequently abandoned the XRM-89 Blue Scout I and XRM-90 Blue Scout II vehicles, and shifted to the RM-91/SLV-1B Blue Scout Junior instead.

XRM-91 Blue Scout Junior / Journeyman B (USAF)

Blue Scout Junior Blue Scout Junior rocket.jpg
Blue Scout Junior

The XRM-91 Blue Scout Junior (sometimes called Journeyman B) was a rocket of the U.S. Air Force's System 609A Blue Scout family. [30] Although the Blue Scout Junior had sufficient impulse to have put a small satellite in low Earth orbit, it was not used as an orbital launch vehicle. The XRM-91 did not resemble the other Scout variants externally, because the usual first Scout stage (an Aerojet General Algol) was not used. Instead, the four-stage Blue Scout Junior used Scout's 2nd and 3rd stages (Castor and Antares) as the first two stages, and added an Aerojet General Alcor and a spherical NOTS Cetus in a common nose fairing. The XRM-91 also lacked the gyro-stabilization and guidance system of the RM-89 Blue Scout I and RM-90 Blue Scout II, making it a completely unguided rocket. It relied on second-stage fins and two spin motors to achieve a stable flight trajectory.

The first launch of an XRM-91 occurred on September 21, 1960, making it actually the first Blue Scout configuration to fly. The flight was planned to make radiation and magnetic field measurements at distances of up to 26 700 km (16 600 miles) from earth, and while the rocket did indeed achieve this altitude, the telemetry system failed so that no data was received. The second launch in November ended with a failure during second stage burn. The third flight was to measure particle densities in the Van Allen belts and reached a distance of 225 000 km (140 000 miles), but again a telemetry failure prevented the reception of scientific data. The fourth and final XRM-91 mission in December 1961 also carried particle detectors, and was the only completely successful flight of the initial Blue Scout Junior program.

The Blue Scout Junior was regarded by the USAF as the most useful of the various Blue Scout configurations. It was used (in slightly modified form) between 1962 and 1965 by the Air Force as the SLV-1B/C launch vehicle for suborbital scientific payloads. The SLV-1C was also chosen as the rocket for the MER-6A interim ERCS (Emergency Rocket Communications System) vehicle; this provided a reliable and survivable emergency communications method for the United States National Command Authority, using a UHF repeater that would transmit pre-recorded messages to all units within line-of-sight of the rocket's apogee. [31]

NASA used a three-stage Blue Scout Junior configuration (omitting the Cetus 4th stage) as the RAM B.

San Marco Project

The Italian space research program began in 1959 with the creation of the CRA (Centro Ricerche Aerospaziali) at the University of Rome. Three years later, on 7 September 1962, the university signed a memorandum of understanding with NASA to collaborate on a space research program named San Marco (St. Mark). The Italian launch team was trained by NASA. The San Marco project was focused on the launching of scientific satellites by Scout rockets from a mobile rigid platform located close to the equator. This station, composed of 3 oil platforms and two logistical support boats, was installed off the Kenya coast, close to the town of Malindi.

Launches

Debris

The Scout rockets have contributed to several pieces of debris over the years, some of which is still orbiting as of 2023. [32]

See also

Related Research Articles

Orbital Sciences Corporation was an American company specializing in the design, manufacture, and launch of small- and medium- class space and launch vehicle systems for commercial, military and other government customers. In 2014, Orbital merged with Alliant Techsystems (ATK) to create a new company called Orbital ATK, which in turn was purchased by Northrop Grumman in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minotaur-C</span> Four stage, solid fuel launch vehicle

Minotaur-C, formerly known as Taurus or Taurus XL, is a four stage solid fueled launch vehicle built in the United States by Orbital Sciences and launched from SLC-576E at California's Vandenberg Air Force Base. It is based on the air-launched Pegasus rocket from the same manufacturer, utilizing a "zeroth stage" in place of an airplane. The Minotaur-C is able to carry a maximum payload of around 1458 kg into a low Earth orbit (LEO).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Castor (rocket stage)</span> Solid-fuel orbital vehicle component

Castor is a family of solid-fuel rocket stages and boosters built by Thiokol and used on a variety of launch vehicles. They were initially developed as the second-stage motor of the Scout rocket. The design was based on the MGM-29 Sergeant, a surface-to-surface missile developed for the United States Army at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Thor was a US space launch vehicle derived from the PGM-17 Thor intermediate-range ballistic missile. The Thor rocket was the first member of the Delta rocket family of space launch vehicles. The last launch of a direct derivative of the Thor missile occurred in 2018 as the first stage of the final Delta II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antares (rocket)</span> Medium-lift expendable rocket by Northrop Grumman

Antares, known during early development as Taurus II, is an American expendable medium-lift launch vehicle developed and built by Orbital Sciences Corporation with financial support from NASA under the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program awarded in February 2008, alongside the company's automated cargo spacecraft, Cygnus. Like other launch vehicles developed by Orbital, Antares leveraged lower-cost, off-the-shelf parts and designs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cygnus (spacecraft)</span> Uncrewed cargo spacecraft developed by Orbital Sciences

Cygnus is an expendable American automated cargo spacecraft designed for International Space Station (ISS) resupply missions. Initially developed by Orbital Sciences Corporation with financial support from NASA under the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program. To create Cygnus, Orbital paired a pressurized cargo module, largely based on the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module, built by Thales Alenia Space and previously used by the Space Shuttle for ISS resupply, with a service module based on Orbital's GEOStar, a satellite bus. After a successful demonstration flight in 2013, Orbital was chosen to receive a Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract. A larger Enhanced Cygnus was introduced in 2015. Orbital Sciences was renamed Orbital ATK in 2015 and Northrop Grumman purchased Orbital in 2018 and has continued to operate Cygnus missions. A further enlarged Mission B Cygnus is expected to be introduced in 2025.

Scout X-2 was an American expendable launch system and sounding rocket which was flown twice in 1962. It was a four-stage rocket, based on the earlier Scout X-1, uprated first and third stages. It was a member of the Scout family of rockets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Altair (rocket stage)</span> Solid-fuel rocket

The Altair was a solid-fuel rocket with a fiberglass casing, initially developed for use as the third stage of Vanguard rockets in 1959. It was manufactured by Allegany Ballistics Laboratory (ABL) as the X-248. It was also sometimes called the Burner 1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scout X-1</span> U.S. sounding and orbital rocket, 1960-1961

Scout X-1 was an American expendable launch system and sounding rocket which was flown seven times between August 1960 and October 1961. Four orbital and three suborbital launches were made, with four of the launches resulting in failures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RM-90 Blue Scout II</span> U.S. sounding rocket, 1961

The RM-90 Blue Scout II was an American sounding rocket and expendable launch system which was flown three times during 1961. It was a member of the Scout family of rockets. Blue Scout II was a military version of the NASA-operated Scout X-1, with adjustments to the payload fairings, engine nozzles and fins.

Scout X-1A was an American sounding rocket which was flown in 1962. It was a five-stage derivative of the earlier Scout X-1, with an uprated first stage, and a NOTS-17 upper stage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scout X-2M</span> U.S. rocket, 1962-1963

Scout X-2M was an American expendable launch system which was flown three times between May 1962 and April 1963. It was a four-stage rocket, based on the earlier Scout X-2, but with an MG-18 upper stage instead of the Altair used on the X-2. It was a member of the Scout family of rockets.

The Scout X-2B was an American expendable launch system which was flown during 1963. It was a four-stage rocket, based on the earlier Scout X-2, but with an Altair 2A fourth stage in place of the Altair 1A used on the X-2. It was a member of the Scout family of rockets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Athena I</span> American small space launch rocket

The Athena I, known as the Lockheed Launch Vehicle (LLV) at the time of its first flight and Lockheed Martin Launch Vehicle (LMLV) at the time of its second flight, was an American small expendable launch system which was used for four launches between 1995 and 2001. It is a member of the Athena family of rockets, along with the larger Athena II.

The Star is a family of US solid-propellant rocket motors originally developed by Thiokol and used by many space propulsion and launch vehicle stages. They are used almost exclusively as an upper stage, often as an apogee kick motor. The number designations refer to the approximate diameter of the fuel casing in inches.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cygnus Orb-3</span> Failed late 2014 cargo mission to the ISS

Orbital-3, also known as Orb-3, was an attempted flight of Cygnus, an automated cargo spacecraft developed by United States–based company Orbital Sciences, on 28 October 2014. The mission was intended to launch at 22:22:38 UTC that evening. This flight, which would have been its fourth to the International Space Station and the fifth of an Antares launch vehicle, resulted in the Antares rocket exploding seconds after liftoff.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cygnus OA-5</span> Late 2016 cargo mission to the ISS

OA-5, previously known as Orbital-5, was the seventh planned flight of the Orbital Sciences' uncrewed resupply spacecraft Cygnus and its sixth flight to the International Space Station under the Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA. The mission launched on 17 October 2016 at 23:45:36 UTC. Orbital Sciences and NASA jointly developed a new space transportation system to provide commercial cargo resupply services to the International Space Station (ISS). Under the Commercial Orbital Transportation System (COTS) program, Orbital designed and built Antares, a medium-class launch vehicle; Cygnus, an advanced maneuvering spacecraft; and a Pressurized Cargo Module which is provided by Orbital's industrial partner Thales Alenia Space.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Algol (rocket stage)</span>

The Algol family of solid-fuel rocket stages and boosters is built by Aerojet and used on a variety of launch vehicles. It was developed by Aerojet from the earlier Jupiter Senior and the Navy Polaris programs. Upgrades to the Algol motor occurred from 1960 until the retirement of the Scout launch vehicle in 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orbital ATK</span> American aerospace and defense company

Orbital ATK Inc. was an American aerospace manufacturer and defense industry company. It was formed in February 9, 2015 from the merger of Orbital Sciences Corporation and parts of Alliant Techsystems (ATK). Orbital ATK designed, built, and delivered rocket engines, military vehicles, firearms, autocannons, missiles, ammunition, precision-guided munitions, satellites, missile approach warning systems, launch vehicles and spacecraft. The company was acquired by Northrop Grumman on June 6, 2018. The former Orbital ATK operations were renamed Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems and operated as a division until January 1, 2020 when a reorganization merged the operations into the company's other divisions.

Small-lift launch vehicle Rocket able to lift 2,000 kg to low Earth orbit

A small-lift launch vehicle is a rocket orbital launch vehicle that is capable of lifting 2,000 kilograms (4,400 lb) or less or under 5,000 kilograms (11,000 lb) of payload into low Earth orbit (LEO). The next larger category consists of medium-lift launch vehicles.

References

  1. ↑ "Scout". www.astronautix.com. Archived from the original on December 27, 2016. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  2. ↑ "Scout Launch Vehicle Program". NASA. Archived from the original on 2016-11-10. Retrieved 2005-08-07.
  3. ↑ "Scout". The Satellite Encyclopedia.
  4. ↑ "Scout G". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on May 2, 2002.
  5. 1 2 "Miniature Sensor Technology Integration MSTI series". NASA. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
  6. ↑ "MSTI 2". Skyrocket. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
  7. 1 2 "NASA'S SCOUT LAUNCH VEHICLE". NASA GSFC. Archived from the original on 2008-05-10.
  8. 1 2 3 "Scout-A". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2024-09-28.
  9. ↑ "LTV SLV-1 Scout".
  10. ↑ Ley, Willy (December 1967). "Astronautics International". For Your Information. Galaxy Science Fiction. pp. 110–120.
  11. ↑ Yenne, Bill (1985). The Encyclopedia of US Spacecraft. Exeter Books (A Bison Book), New York. ISBN   0-671-07580-2.p.12 AEROS
  12. ↑ "Transit". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on June 24, 2002.
  13. ↑ "Transit 5A - NSSDC ID: 1962-071A". NASA NSSDC.
  14. ↑ "Transit-O 31- NSSDC ID: 1988-074B". NASA NSSDC.
  15. ↑ "Gunter's Space Page FR 1".
  16. ↑ Krebs, Gunter (March 5, 2017). "Scout Family". space.skyrocket.de. Retrieved July 1, 2017.
  17. ↑ "Scout-X1A". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2024-04-06.
  18. ↑ Mark Wade. "Scout X-2". Archived from the original on December 27, 2016. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  19. ↑ "P35 2 - NSSDC ID: 1962-039A". NASA NSSDC.
  20. ↑ Shaltanis, Capt Dan A. "Defense Meteorological Satellite Program History". Archived from the original on 2008-07-20.
  21. ↑ "Scout-X3". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2024-04-06.
  22. ↑ Mark Wade. "Scout X-4". Archived from the original on December 27, 2016. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  23. ↑ "Scout-A1". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2024-04-06.
  24. ↑ "Scout-B1". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2024-04-06.
  25. ↑ "Scout-D1". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2024-04-06.
  26. ↑ "Scout-F1". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2024-04-06.
  27. ↑ "Display: DADE-A". NASA. 28 October 2021. Retrieved 19 November 2021.PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
  28. ↑ "Display: DADE-B". NASA. 28 October 2021. Retrieved 19 November 2021.PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
  29. ↑ "Scout-G1". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2024-04-06.
  30. ↑ Scout information sheet at astronautix.com (accessed 2008-10-22)
  31. ↑ Parsch, Andreas. Ford MER-6 Blue Scout. Designation-Systems.net, 9 July 2007. Accessed 2020-04-30.
  32. ↑ "NSYO Database search for SCOUT" . Retrieved 22 February 2023.

Krebs, Gunter Dirk. "Scout Family". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2024-06-15.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.