Matagorda Island
Site · USA
Original archive entry. The text, images and links below are kept as they were written.
Credit: © Mark Wade
Launch site for sounding rockets and commercial launch vehicles. Good site for southerly launches into a variety of orbits but no tracking facilities.
Minimum Inclination: 45.0 degrees. Maximum Inclination: 90.0 degrees.
Related
- Family
- Orbital Launch Site
- Country
- USA
- Agency
- SSI
Chronology
2 events
1981 August 5
Launch Site: Matagorda Island. Launch Vehicle: Percheron. FAILURE: Exploded on launch pad due to liquid oxygen tank overpressurization.. Failed Stage: 1.- Percheron Research and Development Flight - .
Nation: USA.
Decay Date: 1981-08-05 . COSPAR: F810805A.
Failure of a liquid oxygen valve led to the oxidiser tank over-pressurising, collapse of the liquid oxygen to kerosene tank bulkhead; intermixing of the propellants, and finally an on-pad explosion without lift-off. The vehicle was funded by Space Services, Inc of Houston, Texas and was built by GCH, Inc (Gary C. Hudson). The booster featured a modular design using liquid oxygen-kerosene stages 18 m long and 1.2 m in diameter, with an engine producing 27,300 kgf of thrust.