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bull16n2.jpg+Project HARP 16 inch
Used with permission of Stephen E. Mendes - visit his Barbados Photo Gallery
Credit - © Stephen E. Mendes
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+570 Model: HARP Gun. Gross Mass: 450 kg (990 lb). Empty Mass: 1.00 kg (2.20 lb). Thrust (vac): 127,000.000 kN (28,550,000 lbf). Isp: 365 sec. Burn time: 0.0100 sec. Propellants: Guncotton. Isp(sl): 43 sec. Diameter: 0.42 m (1.37 ft). Span: 0.42 m (1.37 ft). Length: 36.59 m (120.04 ft). Country: Canada. No Engines: 1. Motor: 16 in gun. Status: Development ended 1966. First Flight: 1965. Last Flight: 1966. No Launched: 2. Payload: 1,300 kg (2,800 lb). Release velocity: 1,072 m/s (3,517 ft/sec). Release altitude: 27 m (87 ft). Release angle: 0 deg. Release conditions: 298 m/s losses from muzzle exit velocity.

The HARP gun, a converted 16 inch naval gun, was used during the 1960's to launch the Martlet series of rocket-launched space probes. Using 450 kg of M8M propellant, with optimum web size, and a maximum muzzle pressure of 4100 atmospheres, the gun had the following performance:

  • 250 kg projectile accelerated at 13,000 peak G's to 2,300 m/s muzzle velocity
  • 500 kg projectile accelerated at 9,000 peak G's to 1,900 m/s muzzle velocity
  • 750 kg projectile accelerated at 6,500 peak G's to 1,680 m/s muzzle velocity
  • 1,000 kg projectile accelerated at 5,000 peak G's to 1,550 m/s muzzle velocity
'Specific impulse' indicated here is effective specific impulse for a 750 kg projectile. Due to muzzle dynamics, value differs for other masses of projectile. Diameter and length are that for the gun bore.
Used on Launch Vehicles:
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© Mark Wade, 1997 - 2008 except where otherwise noted.