RM-89 Blue Scout I (original) (raw)

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American sounding rocket

Blue Scout D6 ahead of the second HETS launch
Function Sounding rocket
Manufacturer Vought
Country of origin United States
Size
Height 21.65 metres (71.0 ft)
Diameter 1.02 metres (3 ft 4 in)
Mass 16,738 kilograms (36,901 lb)
Stages Three
Associated rockets
Family Scout
Derivative work RM-90 Blue Scout II
Launch history
Status Retired
Launch sites Canaveral LC-18B
Total launches 4
Success(es) 2
Failure(s) 2
First flight 1961-01-07
Last flight 1962-04-12
First stage – Algol 1B
Powered by 1 solid
Maximum thrust 471 kilonewtons (106,000 lbf)
Specific impulse 236 sec
Burn time 40 seconds
Propellant Solid
Second stage – Castor 1A
Powered by 1 solid
Maximum thrust 286 kilonewtons (64,000 lbf)
Specific impulse 247 sec
Burn time 27 seconds
Propellant Solid
Third stage – Antares 1A
Powered by 1 X-254
Maximum thrust 60 kilonewtons (13,000 lbf)
Specific impulse 256 sec
Burn time 39 seconds
Propellant Solid
Fourth stage – Castor 1A
Powered by 1 X-254
Maximum thrust 65 kilonewtons (15,000 lbf)
Specific impulse 249 sec
Burn time 29 seconds
Propellant Solid
[edit on Wikidata]

The RM-89 Blue Scout I was an American sounding rocket which was flown four times between January 1961 and April 1962. It was used for two HETS test flights, and a flight to investigate atmospheric re-entry. It was a member of the Scout family of rockets.

The Blue Scout I was a four-stage rocket derived from the Scout X-1. All four launches occurred from Launch Complex 18B at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The first two launches were conducted on 7 January and 9 May 1961 respectively. They both carried HETS A1 plasma research experiments on suborbital trajectories. The second two launches were conducted on 12 April 1962, with a payload that was intended to investigate atmospheric reentry.

The first two launches was successful, however recovery of the payload failed. The second two launches failed due to problems with the Blue Scout.

The Blue Scout II was a four-stage derivative of the Blue Scout I. It was flown four times in 1961, twice with HETS payloads, and twice with the Mercury-Scout 1 satellite.