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Scout A

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Scout A Scout A - COSPAR 1967-042

Status: Retired 1970. First Launch: 1965-12-22. Last Launch: 1970-08-27. Number: 11 . Payload: 122 kg (268 lb). Thrust: 513.40 kN (115,417 lbf). Gross mass: 17,850 kg (39,350 lb). Height: 25.00 m (82.00 ft). Diameter: 1.01 m (3.31 ft). Apogee: 185 km (114 mi).

4 stage vehicle consisting of 1 x Algol 2A + 1 x Castor 2A + 1 x Antares 2 + 1 x Altair 2.

LEO Payload: 122 kg (268 lb) to a 185 km orbit. Flyaway Unit Cost 1985$: 8.610 million.

Stage Data - Scout A

• Stage 1. 1 x Algol 2. Gross Mass: 11,600 kg (25,500 lb). Empty Mass: 1,650 kg (3,630 lb). Thrust (vac): 564.245 kN (126,847 lbf). Isp: 255 sec. Burn time: 47 sec. Isp(sl): 232 sec. Diameter: 1.01 m (3.31 ft). Span: 1.01 m (3.31 ft). Length: 9.09 m (29.82 ft). Propellants: Solid. No Engines: 1. Engine: Algol 2. Status: Out of Production.

• Stage 2. 1 x Castor 2. Gross Mass: 4,424 kg (9,753 lb). Empty Mass: 695 kg (1,532 lb). Thrust (vac): 258.915 kN (58,206 lbf). Isp: 262 sec. Burn time: 37 sec. Isp(sl): 232 sec. Diameter: 0.79 m (2.59 ft). Span: 0.79 m (2.59 ft). Length: 6.04 m (19.81 ft). Propellants: Solid. No Engines: 1. Engine: TX-354-3. Status: In Production.

• Stage 3. 1 x Antares 2. Gross Mass: 1,400 kg (3,000 lb). Empty Mass: 300 kg (660 lb). Thrust (vac): 93.094 kN (20,928 lbf). Isp: 293 sec. Burn time: 36 sec. Isp(sl): 233 sec. Diameter: 0.78 m (2.55 ft). Span: 0.78 m (2.55 ft). Length: 2.90 m (9.50 ft). Propellants: Solid. No Engines: 1. Engine: X-259. Status: Out of Production.

• Stage 4. 1 x Altair 2. Gross Mass: 275 kg (606 lb). Empty Mass: 37 kg (81 lb). Thrust (vac): 22.241 kN (5,000 lbf). Isp: 266 sec. Burn time: 28 sec. Isp(sl): 242 sec. Diameter: 0.64 m (2.09 ft). Span: 0.64 m (2.09 ft). Length: 2.53 m (8.30 ft). Propellants: Solid. No Engines: 1. Engine: X-258. Status: Out of Production.

Photo Gallery

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Scout Credit: © Mark Wade

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• Beginning of the Scout launch vehicle concept. - . Nation: USA. A study was initiated by the Langley Aeronautical Laboratory on the use of solid-fuel upper stages to achieve a payload orbit with as simple a launch vehicle as possible. This was the beginning of the Scout test-vehicle concept..

• Scout development begun. - . Nation: USA. "Poor man's rocket," Scout, was jointly announced by NASA and AF. The concept of Scout originated at Langley Research Center in 1958, based upon extensive experience with staged solid-propellant rockets..

• Scout to evaluate the Mercury tracking system. - . Nation: USA. Spacecraft: Radio Test Spacecraft, Mercury. A document was issued regarding use of a Scout test vehicle to evaluate the performance of the Mercury tracking and real-time computing system. NASA Headquarters tentatively approved the plan on May 24, 1961..

• Mercury-Scout instrumentation system. - . Nation: USA. Spacecraft: Radio Test Spacecraft, Mercury. The Space Task Group forwarded to NASA Headquarters the details for the Mercury-Scout instrumentation system. This mission was to check the operational effectiveness of the Mercury global tracking network..

• Mercury-Scout announcement - . Nation: USA. Spacecraft: Radio Test Spacecraft, Mercury. An announcement was made that a Mercury-Scout launch would be made to verify the readiness of the world-wide Mercury Tracking network to handle further orbital flights..

• Transit O-6 - . Mass: 60 kg (132 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: USN. Program: Transit. Class: Navigation. Type: Navigation satellite. Spacecraft: Transit. USAF Sat Cat: 1864 . COSPAR: 1965-109A. Apogee: 1,059 km (658 mi). Perigee: 891 km (553 mi). Inclination: 89.10 deg. Period: 104.60 min. Spacecraft built by Naval Avionics Facility, but refurbished by APL. Operated for 7 to 11 months, but then failed due to poor workmanship of NAFI components..

• Transit O-7 - . Mass: 50 kg (110 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: USN. Program: Transit. Class: Navigation. Type: Navigation satellite. Spacecraft: Transit. USAF Sat Cat: 1952 . COSPAR: 1966-005A. Apogee: 1,180 km (730 mi). Perigee: 850 km (520 mi). Inclination: 90.00 deg. Period: 105.40 min. Naval Avionics Facility-assembled production spacecraft. Failed after a few weeks operation..

• Transit O-8 - . Mass: 50 kg (110 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: USN. Program: Transit. Class: Navigation. Type: Navigation satellite. Spacecraft: Transit. USAF Sat Cat: 2119 . COSPAR: 1966-024A. Apogee: 1,099 km (682 mi). Perigee: 879 km (546 mi). Inclination: 89.70 deg. Period: 104.90 min. Spacecraft built by Naval Avionics Facility, but refurbished by APL. Operated for 7 to 11 months, but then failed due to poor workmanship of NAFI components..

• Transit O-9 - . Mass: 50 kg (110 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: USN. Program: Transit. Class: Navigation. Type: Navigation satellite. Spacecraft: Transit. USAF Sat Cat: 2176 . COSPAR: 1966-041A. Apogee: 951 km (590 mi). Perigee: 833 km (517 mi). Inclination: 90.10 deg. Period: 102.80 min. Spacecraft built by Naval Avionics Facility, but refurbished by APL. Operated for 7 to 11 months, but then failed due to poor workmanship of NAFI components..

• Transit O-10 - . Mass: 58 kg (127 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: USN. Program: Transit. Class: Navigation. Type: Navigation satellite. Spacecraft: Transit. USAF Sat Cat: 2401 . COSPAR: 1966-076A. Apogee: 1,089 km (676 mi). Perigee: 1,038 km (644 mi). Inclination: 88.90 deg. Period: 106.50 min.

  Spacecraft built by Naval Avionics Facility, but refurbished by APL. Only partially operational due to a decrease in the number of solar cells available for charging the batteries after thermal working of the solar cell interconnections in day/night cycles.

• Transit O-12 - . Mass: 60 kg (132 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: USN. Program: Transit. Class: Navigation. Type: Navigation satellite. Spacecraft: Transit. USAF Sat Cat: 2754 . COSPAR: 1967-034A. Apogee: 1,064 km (661 mi). Perigee: 1,037 km (644 mi). Inclination: 90.10 deg. Period: 106.20 min. First APL-built Transit Operational satellite. Operational life of this and subsequent Transits was over 14 years..

• Ariel 3 - . Payload: UK 3 (UK-E). Mass: 90 kg (198 lb). Nation: UK. Agency: SRC. Class: Technology. Type: Navigation technology satellite. Spacecraft: Ariel. Decay Date: 1970-12-14 . USAF Sat Cat: 2773 . COSPAR: 1967-042A. Apogee: 604 km (375 mi). Perigee: 499 km (310 mi). Inclination: 80.60 deg. Period: 95.60 min. Spacecraft engaged in research and exploration of the upper atmosphere or outer space (US Cat B). .

• Transit O-13 - . Mass: 60 kg (132 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: USN. Program: Transit. Class: Navigation. Type: Navigation satellite. Spacecraft: Transit. USAF Sat Cat: 2807 . COSPAR: 1967-048A. Apogee: 1,088 km (676 mi). Perigee: 1,059 km (658 mi). Inclination: 89.60 deg. Period: 106.70 min. Operational life over 20 years..

• Transit O-14 - . Mass: 60 kg (132 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: USN. Program: Transit. Class: Navigation. Type: Navigation satellite. Spacecraft: Transit. USAF Sat Cat: 2965 . COSPAR: 1967-092A. Apogee: 1,099 km (682 mi). Perigee: 1,030 km (640 mi). Inclination: 89.20 deg. Period: 106.50 min.

• Transit O-18 - . Mass: 60 kg (132 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: USN. Program: Transit. Class: Navigation. Type: Navigation satellite. Spacecraft: Transit. USAF Sat Cat: 3133 . COSPAR: 1968-012A. Apogee: 1,130 km (700 mi). Perigee: 1,014 km (630 mi). Inclination: 90.00 deg. Period: 106.70 min. First RCA-built Transit..

• Transit O-19 - . Mass: 18 kg (39 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: USN. Program: Transit. Class: Navigation. Type: Navigation satellite. Spacecraft: Transit. USAF Sat Cat: 4507 . COSPAR: 1970-067A. Apogee: 1,201 km (746 mi). Perigee: 946 km (587 mi). Inclination: 90.00 deg. Period: 106.70 min. The last Scout booster to be launched by an all-military crew was fired from Vandenberg AFB. Future Scout operations would be conducted by contractor launch teams under Air Force technical management. .