Sparta (rocket): Difference between revisions
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{{refimprove|date=October 2008}} |
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{{Infobox Rocket |
{{Infobox Rocket |
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|image = Sparta.svg |
|image = [[File:Drawing of Sparta rocket.svg|upright=0.5]] |
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|imsize = 50px |
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|caption = |
|caption = |
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|name = Sparta |
|name = Sparta |
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|function = Sounding rocket<br/>Launch system |
|function = Sounding rocket<br/>Launch system |
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|manufacturer = [[Army Ballistic Missile Agency|ABMA]]/[[Chrysler]] |
|manufacturer = [[Army Ballistic Missile Agency|ABMA]]/[[Chrysler]] |
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|country-origin = |
|country-origin = United States |
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|height = {{convert|21.8|m}} |
|height = {{convert|21.8|m}} |
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|diameter = {{convert|1.78|m}} |
|diameter = {{convert|1.78|m}} |
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|first = 28 November 1966 |
|first = 28 November 1966 |
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|last = 29 November 1967 |
|last = 29 November 1967 |
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|payloads = [[WRESAT]] |
|payloads = Re-entry vehicles, [[WRESAT]] |
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|stagedata = |
|stagedata = |
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{{Infobox Rocket/Stage |
{{Infobox Rocket/Stage |
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|SI = 265 sec |
|SI = 265 sec |
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|burntime = 155 seconds |
|burntime = 155 seconds |
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|fuel = [[LOX]]/[[ |
|fuel = [[LOX]]/[[Ethanol]] |
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}} |
}} |
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{{Infobox Rocket/Stage |
{{Infobox Rocket/Stage |
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|type = stage |
|type = stage |
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|stageno = Third |
|stageno = Third |
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|name = |
|name = BE-3 Alcyone |
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|engines = 1 solid |
|engines = 1 solid |
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|thrust = 34 |
|thrust = 34 |
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}} |
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The '''Sparta''' was a three-stage rocket that launched [[Australia|Australia's]] first Earth satellite, [[WRESAT]], on 29 November 1967.[[Image:Redstone Sparta.jpg|thumb|left|Sparta on the pad at Woomera]] |
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The '''Sparta''' (or '''Redstone Sparta''') was a three-stage rocket that launched [[Australia|Australia's]] first Earth satellite, [[WRESAT]], on 29 November 1967.<ref>{{cite web |last=Wade |first=Mark |title=Redstone |url=http://astronautix.com/r/redstone.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240207065553/http://www.astronautix.com/r/redstone.html |archive-date=2024-02-07 |access-date= |website=Encyclopedia Astronautica |publisher= |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Wade |first=Mark |title=SPARTA |url=http://www.astronautix.com/s/sparta.html |access-date=2023-10-16 |website=Encyclopedia Astronautica |archive-date=2022-11-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221109060720/http://www.astronautix.com/s/sparta.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Krebs |first=Gunter D. |title=Redstone with solid fuel upper stage |url=https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau/redstone_sd.htm |access-date=2023-10-21 |website=Gunter's Space Page |language=en |archive-date=2023-12-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231209140340/https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau/redstone_sd.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> |
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Sparta used a surplus [[United States|American]] [[Redstone (rocket)|Redstone]] as its first stage, an [[Antares-2]] as a second stage, and a [[BE-3]] as a third stage. Several Spartas were launched from 1966–67 from [[Woomera Test Range]] in [[Woomera, South Australia]] as part of a joint United States–[[United Kingdom]]–Australian research program aimed at understanding re-entry phenomena, and the U.S. donated a spare for the scientific satellite launch into [[polar orbit]]. |
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⚫ | |||
Sparta used surplus American [[Redstone (rocket)|Redstone]] rockets as its first stage, a [[Thiokol]] [[Antares (rocket stage)|Antares 2]] from [[Scout (rocket family)|Scout]] rocket as a second stage, and a [[Defence Science and Technology Group|WRE]] BE-3 Alcyone [[Solid-propellant rocket|solid-propellant]] engine as a third stage.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> |
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A first stage was recovered from the [[Simpson Desert]] in 1990 after being found in searches by explorer [[Dick Smith (entrepreneur)|Dick Smith]] the previous year.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Dougherty |first=Kerrie |title=Retrieving Woomera's heritage: recovering lost examples of the material culture of Australian space activities |volume=6 |pages=80 |work=Artefacts: Studies in the History of Science and Technology |url=https://www.artefactsconsortium.org/Publications/PDFfiles/Vol6Space/6.04.Space-Dougherty,Woomera75ppiWEBF.pdf |access-date=2024-04-24 |archive-date=2023-10-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231011025449/https://www.artefactsconsortium.org/Publications/PDFfiles/Vol6Space/6.04.Space-Dougherty,Woomera75ppiWEBF.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>{{rp|76–80}}{{clear left}} |
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== Launches == |
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Several Spartas were launched between 1966 and 1967 from [[Woomera Test Range]] LA8 in [[Woomera, South Australia]] as part of a joint United States–United Kingdom–Australian research program aimed at understanding re-entry phenomena, and the US donated a spare for the scientific satellite launch into [[polar orbit]].<ref>{{cite web |last=LePage |first=Andrew J. |date=May 2, 2011 |title=Old Reliable: The story of the Redstone |url=https://www.thespacereview.com/article/1836/1 |access-date=February 7, 2023 |website=spacereview.com |archive-date=June 2, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230602011346/https://www.thespacereview.com/article/1836/1 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> |
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The first launch was a failure, while the rest were successful.<ref name=":1" /> |
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{| class="wikitable sortable" |
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|+Sparta launches<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> |
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!Date |
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!Mission Description |
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!Nation |
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!Agency |
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!Apogee (km) |
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|1966 Nov 28 |
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|Sparta SV-1 (re-entry vehicle) |
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|[[United States|US]] |
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|[[United States Army|US Army]] |
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|90 |
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|- |
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|1966 Dec 13 |
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|Sparta SV-2 (re-entry vehicle) |
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|US |
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|US Army |
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|90 |
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|- |
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|1967 Apr 20 |
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|Sparta SV-3 (re-entry vehicle) |
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|US |
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|US Army |
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|90 |
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|- |
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|1967 Jul 4 |
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|Sparta SV-4 (re-entry vehicle) |
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|US |
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|US Army |
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|90 |
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|- |
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|1967 Jul 24 |
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|Sparta SV-5 (re-entry vehicle) |
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|US |
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|US Army |
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|90 |
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|- |
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|1967 Aug 17 |
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|Sparta SV-6 (re-entry vehicle) |
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|US |
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|US Army |
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|90 |
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|- |
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|1967 Sep 15 |
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|Sparta SV-7 (re-entry vehicle) |
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|US |
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|US Army |
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|91 |
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|- |
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|1967 Oct 11 |
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|Sparta SV-8 (re-entry vehicle) |
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|US |
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|US Army |
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|137 |
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|- |
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|1967 Oct 31 |
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|Sparta SV-9 (re-entry vehicle) |
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|US |
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|US Army |
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|111 |
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|- |
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|1967 Nov 29 |
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|[[WRESAT]] (satellite) |
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|[[Australia]] |
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|[[Defence Science and Technology Group|WRE]] |
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|1252 |
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== Gallery == |
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<gallery> |
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File:Redstone Sparta.jpg|Redstone-Sparta at [[RAAF Woomera Range Complex|Woomera]] LA8 |
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File:Redstone Sparta CC-2029 3.jpg|Preparation for launch of Redstone-Sparta CC-2029 at [[RAAF Woomera Range Complex|Woomera]] LA8 |
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File:Redstone Sparta CC-2029 1.jpg|Preparation for launch of Redstone-Sparta CC-2029 at [[RAAF Woomera Range Complex|Woomera]] LA8 |
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File:Redstone Sparta CC-2029 4.jpg|Launch of Redstone-Sparta CC-2029 with [[WRESAT]] satellite (November 29, 1967) |
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File:Redstone Sparta CC-2029 2.jpg|Launch of Redstone-Sparta CC-2029 with [[WRESAT]] satellite (November 29, 1967) |
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</gallery> |
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==References== |
==References== |
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{{reflist}} |
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*{{cite web|url=http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/redstone.htm|title=Redstone|first=Mark|last=Wade|publisher=Encyclopedia Astronautica|accessdate=2009-04-07}} |
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{{expendable launch systems}} |
{{expendable launch systems}} |
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[[Category:Space launch vehicles of the United States]] |
[[Category:Space launch vehicles of the United States]] |
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[[Category:Sounding rockets]] |
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{{rocket-stub}} |
{{rocket-stub}} |
Revision as of 15:38, 5 May 2024
![]() | |
Function | Sounding rocket Launch system |
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Manufacturer | ABMA/Chrysler |
Country of origin | Vereinigte Staaten |
Size | |
Height | 21.8 metres (72 ft) |
Diameter | 1.78 metres (5 ft 10 in) |
Mass | 30,000 kilograms (66,000 lb) |
Stages | 3 |
Capacity | |
Payload to LEO | |
Mass | 45 kilograms (99 lb) |
Associated rockets | |
Family | Redstone |
Comparable | Jupiter-C Juno I |
Launch history | |
Status | Retired |
Launch sites | Woomera Test Range LA-8 |
Total launches | 10 |
Success(es) | 9 |
Failure(s) | 1 |
First flight | 28 November 1966 |
Last flight | 29 November 1967 |
Type of passengers/cargo | Re-entry vehicles, WRESAT |
First stage – Redstone | |
Powered by | 1 A-7 |
Maximum thrust | 416 kilonewtons (94,000 lbf) |
Specific impulse | 265 sec |
Burn time | 155 seconds |
Propellant | LOX/Ethanol |
Second stage – Antares-2 | |
Powered by | 1 X-259 |
Maximum thrust | 93 kilonewtons (21,000 lbf) |
Specific impulse | 293 sec |
Burn time | 36 seconds |
Propellant | Solid |
Third stage – BE-3 Alcyone | |
Powered by | 1 solid |
Maximum thrust | 34 |
Burn time | 9 seconds |
Propellant | Solid |
The Sparta (or Redstone Sparta) was a three-stage rocket that launched Australia's first Earth satellite, WRESAT, on 29 November 1967.[1][2][3]
Sparta used surplus American Redstone rockets as its first stage, a Thiokol Antares 2 from Scout rocket as a second stage, and a WRE BE-3 Alcyone solid-propellant engine as a third stage.[2][3]
A first stage was recovered from the Simpson Desert in 1990 after being found in searches by explorer Dick Smith the previous year.[4]: 76–80
Launches
Several Spartas were launched between 1966 and 1967 from Woomera Test Range LA8 in Woomera, South Australia as part of a joint United States–United Kingdom–Australian research program aimed at understanding re-entry phenomena, and the US donated a spare for the scientific satellite launch into polar orbit.[5][2][3]
The first launch was a failure, while the rest were successful.[3]
Date | Mission Description | Nation | Agency | Apogee (km) |
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1966 Nov 28 | Sparta SV-1 (re-entry vehicle) | US | US Army | 90 |
1966 Dec 13 | Sparta SV-2 (re-entry vehicle) | US | US Army | 90 |
1967 Apr 20 | Sparta SV-3 (re-entry vehicle) | US | US Army | 90 |
1967 Jul 4 | Sparta SV-4 (re-entry vehicle) | US | US Army | 90 |
1967 Jul 24 | Sparta SV-5 (re-entry vehicle) | US | US Army | 90 |
1967 Aug 17 | Sparta SV-6 (re-entry vehicle) | US | US Army | 90 |
1967 Sep 15 | Sparta SV-7 (re-entry vehicle) | US | US Army | 91 |
1967 Oct 11 | Sparta SV-8 (re-entry vehicle) | US | US Army | 137 |
1967 Oct 31 | Sparta SV-9 (re-entry vehicle) | US | US Army | 111 |
1967 Nov 29 | WRESAT (satellite) | Australien | WRE | 1252 |
Gallery
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Redstone-Sparta at Woomera LA8
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Preparation for launch of Redstone-Sparta CC-2029 at Woomera LA8
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Preparation for launch of Redstone-Sparta CC-2029 at Woomera LA8
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Launch of Redstone-Sparta CC-2029 with WRESAT satellite (November 29, 1967)
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Launch of Redstone-Sparta CC-2029 with WRESAT satellite (November 29, 1967)
References
- ^ Wade, Mark. "Redstone". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 2024-02-07.
- ^ a b c d Wade, Mark. "SPARTA". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 2022-11-09. Retrieved 2023-10-16.
- ^ a b c d e Krebs, Gunter D. "Redstone with solid fuel upper stage". Gunter's Space Page. Archived from the original on 2023-12-09. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
- ^ Dougherty, Kerrie. "Retrieving Woomera's heritage: recovering lost examples of the material culture of Australian space activities" (PDF). Artefacts: Studies in the History of Science and Technology. Vol. 6. p. 80. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2023-10-11. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
- ^ LePage, Andrew J. (May 2, 2011). "Old Reliable: The story of the Redstone". spacereview.com. Archived from the original on June 2, 2023. Retrieved February 7, 2023.