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 (original version)

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

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 missile. [7] Unlike the Thor or Atlas-Agena the Scout was non-military and could be sold to foreign customers. [9]

The Scout X-1 first flew successfully on 1960-10-10, 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. [16] 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 [17] 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. [18] [19]

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. [20]

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. [21]

Scout A-1

The Scout A-1 flew in 1973 and introduced the Castor IIA upgrades. [22]

Scout B-1

The Scout B-1 flew after 1971 and introduced the Altair III upgrades. [23]

Scout D-1

The Scout D-1 flew in 1972 and introduced the Algol III upgrade. [24]

Scout F-1

The Scout F-1 flew twice in 1975. [25]

Scout G-1

The Scout G-1 flew from 1974 until the Scout's retirement in 1994. [26] 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.

Blue Scout II parameters

Parameter1st Stage2nd Stage3rd Stage4th Stage
Gross Mass10,705 kg4,424 kg1,225 kg238 kg
Empty Mass1,900 kg695 kg294 kg30 kg
Thrust470 kN259 kN60.5 kN12.4 kN
Isp214 s (2.10 kNs/kg)262 s (2.57 kNs/kg)256 s (2.51 kNs/kg)256 s (2.51 kNs/kg)
Burn time40 s37 s39 s38 s
Length9.12 m6.04 m3.38 m1.83 m
Diameter1.01 m0.79 m0.78 m0.46 m
Engine:Aerojet General Algol 1Thiokol XM33 (TX-354-3) Castor 2Allegany Ballistics Lab X-254 Antares 1AAllegany Ballistics Lab X-248 Altair 1
PropellantSolid FuelSolid FuelSolid FuelSolid fuel
LEO payload

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. [27] 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. [28]

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. [29]

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 to create a new company called Orbital ATK, Inc., which in turn was purchased by Northrop Grumman in 2018. The remnants of the former Orbital Sciences Corporation became a subsidiary of Northrop Grumman, known as Northrop Grumman Space Systems.

<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">Minotaur (rocket family)</span> Family of American rockets

The Minotaur is a family of United States solid fuel launch vehicles derived from converted Minuteman and Peacekeeper intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM). They are built by Northrop Grumman via contract with the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center's Space Development and Test Directorate (SMC/SD) as part of the Air Force's Rocket Systems Launch Program which converts retired Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles into space and test launch systems for U.S. government agencies.

<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.

The Space Test Program (STP) is the primary provider of spaceflight for the United States Department of Defense (DoD) space science and technology community. STP is managed by a group within the Advanced Systems and Development Directorate, a directorate of the Space and Missile Systems Center of the United States Space Force. STP provides spaceflight via the International Space Station (ISS), piggybacks, secondary payloads and dedicated launch services.

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 expendable launch system developed by Orbital Sciences Corporation and the Pivdenne Design Bureau to launch the Cygnus spacecraft to the International Space Station as part of NASA's COTS and CRS programs. Able to launch payloads heavier than 8,000 kg (18,000 lb) into low Earth orbit, Antares is the largest rocket operated by Northrop Grumman. Antares launches from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport and made its inaugural flight on April 21, 2013. Antares 100 was retired in 2014 and series 200 was retired in 2023 due to component unavailability. As of January 2024 Antares 300 is under development.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Badr-B</span> Pakistani Earth-observation satellite

The Badr-B is the second spacecraft and the first Earth observation satellite launched into Earth orbit on 10 December 2001 at 09:15 by the SUPARCO — Pakistan's national space agency. Badr-B is a microsatellite, with a mass of ~70 kg, and contained the computerized system to conduct the studies on the gravity gradient. Badr-B is a research satellite to explore the upper atmosphere and the near space, and carried a large array of instruments for geophysical research.

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">Commercial Resupply Services</span> NASA program for delivery of cargo to the ISS

Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) are a series of flights awarded by NASA for the delivery of cargo and supplies to the International Space Station (ISS) on commercially operated spacecraft. The first CRS contracts were signed in 2008 and awarded $1.6 billion to SpaceX for twelve cargo Dragon and $1.9 billion to Orbital Sciences for eight Cygnus flights, covering deliveries to 2016. The Falcon 9 and Antares rockets were also developed under the CRS program to deliver cargo spacecraft to the ISS.

<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.

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">Cygnus Orb-3</span> Failed resupply spaceflight to the ISS (2014)

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">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">Firefly Aerospace</span> American private aerospace company

Firefly Aerospace is an American private aerospace firm based in Cedar Park, Texas, that develops launch vehicles for commercial launches to orbit. The company completed its $75 million Series A investment round in May 2021, which was led by DADA Holdings. The current company was formed when the assets of the former company Firefly Space Systems were acquired by EOS Launcher in March 2017, which was then renamed Firefly Aerospace. Firefly's stated purpose is to increase access to space, similar to other private spaceflight companies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cygnus NG-10</span> 2018 American resupply spaceflight to the ISS

NG-10, previously known as OA-10E, is the eleventh flight of the Northrop Grumman uncrewed resupply spacecraft Cygnus and its tenth flight to the International Space Station under the Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-1) contract with NASA. The mission launched on 17 November 2018, at 09:01:31 UTC. This particular mission is part of an extension of the initial CRS contract that enables NASA to cover the ISS resupply needs until the Commercial Resupply Services-2 (CRS-2) contract enters in effect.

A medium-lift launch vehicle (MLV) is a rocket launch vehicle that is capable of lifting between 2,000 to 20,000 kg by NASA classification or between 5,000 to 20,000 kilograms by Russian classification of payload into low Earth orbit (LEO). An MLV is between small-lift launch vehicles and heavy-lift launch vehicles.

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 kg (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.
  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. ↑ "LTV SLV-1 Scout".
  9. ↑ Ley, Willy (December 1967). "Astronautics International". For Your Information. Galaxy Science Fiction. pp. 110–120.
  10. ↑ Yenne, Bill (1985). The Encyclopedia of US Spacecraft. Exeter Books (A Bison Book), New York. ISBN   0-671-07580-2.p.12 AEROS
  11. ↑ "Transit". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on June 24, 2002.
  12. ↑ "Transit 5A - NSSDC ID: 1962-071A". NASA NSSDC.
  13. ↑ "Transit-O 31- NSSDC ID: 1988-074B". NASA NSSDC.
  14. ↑ "Gunter's Space Page FR 1".
  15. ↑ Krebs, Gunter (March 5, 2017). "Scout Family". space.skyrocket.de. Retrieved July 1, 2017.
  16. ↑ "Scout-X1A". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2024-04-06.
  17. ↑ Mark Wade. "Scout X-2". Archived from the original on December 27, 2016. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  18. ↑ "P35 2 - NSSDC ID: 1962-039A". NASA NSSDC.
  19. ↑ Shaltanis, Capt Dan A. "Defense Meteorological Satellite Program History". Archived from the original on 2008-07-20.
  20. ↑ "Scout-X3". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2024-04-06.
  21. ↑ Mark Wade. "Scout X-4". Archived from the original on December 27, 2016. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  22. ↑ "Scout-A1". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2024-04-06.
  23. ↑ "Scout-B1". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2024-04-06.
  24. ↑ "Scout-D1". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2024-04-06.
  25. ↑ "Scout-F1". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2024-04-06.
  26. ↑ "Scout-G1". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2024-04-06.
  27. ↑ Scout information sheet at astronautix.com (accessed 2008-10-22)
  28. ↑ Parsch, Andreas. Ford MER-6 Blue Scout. Designation-Systems.net, 9 July 2007. Accessed 2020-04-30.
  29. ↑ "NSYO Database search for SCOUT" . Retrieved 22 February 2023.

Krebs, Gunter (3/5/2017). "Scout Family". space.skyrocket.de. Retrieved 7/1/17. Check date values in: |access-date=, |date= (help)

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.