Scout X-1A

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Scout X-1A
Function Sounding rocket
Manufacturer Vought
Country of origin United States
Size
Height 22 metres (72 ft)
Diameter 1.01 metres (3 ft 4 in)
Mass 17,000 kilograms (37,000 lb)
Stages Five
Associated rockets
Family Scout
Launch history
Status Retired
Launch sites Wallops LA-3
Total launches 1
Successes 1
Failures 0
Launch date 1962-03-01
First stage – Algol 1C
Engines 1 solid
Thrust 471 kilonewtons (106,000 lbf)
Specific impulse 236 sec
Burn time 40 seconds
Fuel Solid
Second stage – Castor 1A
Engines 1 solid
Thrust 286 kilonewtons (64,000 lbf)
Specific impulse 247 sec
Burn time 27 seconds
Fuel Solid
Third stage – Antares 1A
Engines 1 X-254
Thrust 60 kilonewtons (13,000 lbf)
Specific impulse 256 sec
Burn time 39 seconds
Fuel Solid
Fourth stage – Altair 1A
Engines 1 X-248A
Thrust 14 kilonewtons (3,100 lbf)
Specific impulse 255 sec
Burn time 40 seconds
Fuel Solid
Fifth stage – NOTS-17
Engines 1 solid
Fuel Solid

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.

The Scout X-1A used an Algol 1C first stage, instead of the earlier Algol 1B used on the Scout X-1. The second, third and fourth stages were the same as those used on the Scout X-1; a Castor 1A, Antares 1A and Altair 1A respectively. The fifth stage was the NOTS-17 solid rocket motor, which had been developed by the Naval Ordnance Test Station.

The Scout X-1A was launched on its only flight at 05:07 GMT on 1 March 1962. It flew from Launch Area 3 of the Wallops Flight Facility. The flight carried an atmospheric re-entry experiment to an apogee of 214 kilometres (133 mi), and was successful. Following this, the Scout X-1A was replaced by the Scout X-2.

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