Sounding rocket. Country: USA. Status: Retired 1997. Vehicle consisting 1 x Castor + 1 x Orbus 1, sometimes augmented with a Recruit booster stage.
Launches: 3. Failures: 2. Success Rate: 33.33%. First Launch Date: 1992-10-16. Last Launch Date: 1997-10-04. Launch data is: complete. Apogee: 500 km (310 mi). Liftoff Thrust: 430.000 kN (96,660 lbf). Total Mass: 13,500 kg (29,700 lb). Core Diameter: 1.02 m (3.34 ft). Total Length: 16.00 m (52.00 ft).
- Stage0: 2 x Journeyman-0. Gross Mass: 200 kg (440 lb). Motor: 1 x 1.5KS35000. Thrust (vac): 156.000 kN (35,070 lbf). Burn time: 1.50 sec. Length: 2.60 m (8.50 ft). Diameter: 0.23 m (0.75 ft). Propellants: Solid.
- Stage1: 1 x Castor 1. Gross Mass: 3,852 kg (8,492 lb). Empty Mass: 535 kg (1,179 lb). Motor: 1 x M33-20-4. Thrust (vac): 286.001 kN (64,296 lbf). Isp: 247 sec. Burn time: 27 sec. Length: 5.92 m (19.42 ft). Diameter: 0.79 m (2.59 ft). Propellants: Solid.
- Stage2: 1 x Starbird-4. Gross Mass: 500 kg (1,100 lb). Empty Mass: 50 kg (110 lb). Motor: 1 x Orbus 1. Thrust (vac): 88.000 kN (19,783 lbf). Length: 1.20 m (3.90 ft). Diameter: 0.70 m (2.29 ft). Propellants: Solid.
Castor-Orbus Chronology
1992 October 16 - Wake Island -. Castor-Orbus-1 SPFE 6 FAILURE: Failure. Re-entry Vehicle test Agency: OSC. Apogee: 500 km (310 mi).
1997 February 10 - 06:30 GMT - Nevada Test Site Area 26. Castor-Orbus Fusing Test Test mission Agency: Sandia. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1997 October 4 - 18:30 GMT - Nevada Test Site Area 26. Castor-Orbus Fusing Test FAILURE: Failure. Test mission Agency: Sandia. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
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