Encyclopedia entry

Petrel 2

Launch vehicle · UK

Part of Petrel

Original archive entry. The text, images and links below are kept as they were written.

British sounding rocket. Improved Petrel using four Chick boosters and a lengthened Lapwing second stage which provide 4.5 kN thrust for 40 seconds. Petrel 2's were also fired as targets for missile tests at Woomera.

2 stage vehicle consisting of 1 x Chick x4 + 1 x Petrel 2.

Payload: 18 kg (39 lb) to a 175 km altitude.

Country: UK
Launch Sites: Andoya, Kiruna, El Arenosillo
Stages: Chick, Lapwing
Agency: Bristol

Chronology

13 events

1974 September 6

23:59 GMT - . Launch Site: South Uist. LV Family: Petrel. Launch Vehicle: Petrel 2.

Plasmapause flux Ionosphere mission - . Nation: UK. Agency: SRC. Apogee: 174 km (108 mi).

1977 October 16

22:33 GMT - . Launch Site: Andoya. LV Family: Petrel. Launch Vehicle: Petrel 2.

Sodium release Atmospheric mission - . Nation: UK. Agency: SRC. Apogee: 207 km (128 mi).

1979 January 25

21:07 GMT - . Launch Site: Kiruna. LV Family: Petrel. Launch Vehicle: Petrel 2.

Auroral pulsations Ionosphere mission - . Nation: UK. Agency: SRC. Apogee: 179 km (111 mi).

1979 January 27

20:04 GMT - . Launch Site: Kiruna. LV Family: Petrel. Launch Vehicle: Petrel 2.

Auroral pulsations Ionosphere mission - . Nation: UK. Agency: SRC. Apogee: 180 km (110 mi).

1979 March 28

15:38 GMT - . Launch Site: Andoya. LV Family: Petrel. Launch Vehicle: Petrel 2.

VLF waves Ionosphere mission - . Nation: UK. Agency: SRC. Apogee: 169 km (105 mi).

1979 September 24

05:32 GMT - . Launch Site: El Arenosillo. LV Family: Petrel. Launch Vehicle: Petrel 2. FAILURE: Failure.

Plasma injection Ionosphere mission - . Nation: UK. Agency: SRC. Apogee: 30 km (18 mi).

1979 October 3

18:42 GMT - . Launch Site: El Arenosillo. LV Family: Petrel. Launch Vehicle: Petrel 2.

Plasma injection Ionosphere mission - . Nation: UK. Agency: SRC. Apogee: 145 km (90 mi).

1980 July 26

23:38 GMT - . Launch Site: Kiruna. LV Family: Petrel. Launch Vehicle: Petrel 2.

VLF propagation Ionosphere mission - . Nation: UK. Agency: SRC. Apogee: 168 km (104 mi).

1980 November 11

00:12 GMT - . Launch Site: Kiruna. LV Family: Petrel. Launch Vehicle: Petrel 2.

EBC-C E5 Aeronomy mission - . Nation: UK. Agency: SRC. Apogee: 170 km (100 mi).

1980 November 16

03:14 GMT - . Launch Site: Kiruna. LV Family: Petrel. Launch Vehicle: Petrel 2.

EBC-B E5 Aeronomy mission - . Nation: UK. Agency: SRC. Apogee: 174 km (108 mi).

1980 November 30

23:45 GMT - . Launch Site: Kiruna. LV Family: Petrel. Launch Vehicle: Petrel 2.

EBC-A2 E5 Aeronomy mission - . Nation: UK. Agency: SRC. Apogee: 169 km (105 mi).

1981 February 7

20:13 GMT - . Launch Site: Kiruna. LV Family: Petrel. Launch Vehicle: Petrel 2.

Atomic oxygen Aeronomy mission - . Nation: UK. Agency: SRC. Apogee: 171 km (106 mi).

1981 December 9

17:17 GMT - . Launch Site: Kiruna. LV Family: Petrel. Launch Vehicle: Petrel 2.

Lithium / sodium release Aeronomy mission - . Nation: UK. Agency: SRC. Apogee: 188 km (116 mi).