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Skua (rocket)

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Skua sounding rocket

Skua is the designation of a British sounding rocket which was launched between 1959 and 1981 in four versions over 300 times.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7] The Skua was developed by Bristol Aerojet and RPE Wescott.[1]

It consisted of a starting stage made up of several Chick rockets (like the Petrel) that burned for 0.2 seconds.[1] They propelled the rocket 20 metres over the 5-metre-long launch tube.[1][8] After that, the Bantam main stage ignited. The solid rocket motor of the main stage had an end-burning propellant grain and burned for 30 seconds.[9] The starting stage descended on parachutes and was re-filled and re-used.[10]

The fastest jet stream velocity ever measured (656 km/h or 408 mph) was recorded by instruments on board a Skua rocket above South Uist, Outer Hebrides, Scotland at an altitude of 47,000 m (154,200 ft), on 13 December 1967.[11]

Versions

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There were four versions of the Skua rocket:[1][2][3][4][5]

Skua rocket versions
Version First Stage Second Stage Payload (kg) Apogee (km) Thrust at start (kN) Weight (kg) Diameter (m) Length (m)
Skua 1 3 x Chick Bantam 5 70 20 58 0.13 2.21
Skua 2 4 x Chick extended Bantam 5 100 27 68 0.13 2.42
Skua 3 4 x Chick extended Bantam 5 120 27 75 0.13 2.80
Skua 4 4 x Chick improved Bantam 7.5 140 27 83 0.13 2.80

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Skua". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 2023-09-05.
  2. ^ a b "Skua 1". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 2023-09-05.
  3. ^ a b "Skua 2". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 2023-09-05.
  4. ^ a b "Skua 3". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 2023-09-05.
  5. ^ a b "Skua 4". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 2023-09-05.
  6. ^ "Skua Sounding Rocket | Science Museum Group Collection". collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk. Retrieved 2023-09-05.
  7. ^ "South Uist (Outer Hebrides), early 1970s". UCL DEPARTMENT OF SPACE & CLIMATE PHYSICS - MULLARD SPACE SCIENCE LABORATORY. Retrieved 2023-09-05.
  8. ^ "Skua Rocket". National Meteorological Library & Archive. Retrieved 2023-09-05.
  9. ^ Serra, Jean-Jacques (2005-02-07). "Skua and Petrel rockets". European Rockets. Archived from the original on 2005-02-07. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
  10. ^ Bollerman, B. (1970). "Skua". A Study of 30 Km to 200 Km Meteorological Rocket Sounding Systems. Vol. 1. Part 2 - Literature and Data Review. NASA. pp. 281–282, 283–284. NASA-CR-1529-PT-2.
  11. ^ "Strongest jetstream". 13 December 1967.