Black Arrow

Infobox rocket


imsize = 300
caption =A Black Arrow carrier rocket in the rocket park at Woomera.
name =Black Arrow
function =Orbital carrier rocket
manufacturer =Royal Aircraft Establishment
country-origin=United Kingdom
height =13 m
diameter =1.98 m
mass =18,130 kg
stages =3
LEO-payload =73 kg
status =Retired
sites =LA-5B, Woomera
launches =4
success =2
fail =2
first=22:58 GMT, 27 June 1969
1st-sat =04:09 GMT, 28 October 1971
Prospero X-3
last=04:09 GMT, 28 October1971
stage1name =Black Knight (modified)
stage1engines =Gamma 8
stage1thrust =23,945 kg_f
stage1SI =265 s
stage1time =142 s
stage1fuel = H₂O₂/RP-1
stage2engines =Gamma 2
stage2thrust =6,958 kg_f
stage2SI =265 s
stage2time =113 s
stage2fuel =H₂O₂/RP-1
stage3engines =1 Waxwing solid
stage3thrust =3,000kg_f
stage3SI =278 s
stage3time =28 s
stage3fuel =Solid

Black Arrow was a British satellite carrier rocket. Black Arrow originated from studies by the Royal Aircraft Establishment for satellite launchers based on the Black Knight. The rocket used hydrogen peroxide oxidiser with RP-1 (paraffin oil) fuel.

Launches

* R0 was launched on 28 June 1969 and was destroyed by ground control after an electrical fault led to a loss of guidance control

* R1 was launched on 4 March 1970 and was successful, although it carried no third stage payload

* R2 was launched on 2 September 1970. The first stage was successful but a leak in the HTP pressurisation system meant the rocket did not have enough velocity to reach orbit, and crashed into the Gulf of Carpentaria with the loss of the X-2 experimental satellite

* R3 was launched on 28 October 1971. The launch was completely successful and placed into orbit the Prospero X-3 satellite, making the United Kingdom the sixth nation to place a satellite into orbit (See Timeline of first orbital launches by country).

Cancellation

The cancellation of the Black Arrow project was announced in the House of Commons on 29 July 1971 by the then Minister for Aerospace, Frederick Corfield, although permission was given for the final launch of R3 to take place after this date. The last vehicle, R4, was never launched, and may be seen on display at the Science Museum, London.

The decision was taken on grounds of cost effectiveness; it was decided that using NASA's solid fuel Scout rocket for future launches would offer adequate performance at a lower cost.

Legacy

The cancellation of Black Arrow marked the end of the UK's chances of becoming a major space power. The UK had been at the forefront of rocketry since World War II but swiftly fell behind during the 60s and 70s. All future British satellite launches had to rely on foreign rockets.

As of 2007, the UK is the only nation to have successfully developed and then abandoned satellite launch capability. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/nolpda/ukfs_news/hi/newsid_3388000/3388535.stm BBC News - Britain's first space pioneers] ]

ee also

*Rainbow Codes
*List of missiles
*Skylon

External links

* [http://www.fathom.com/course/21701717/session4.html Science Museum - Black Arrow]
*http://www.spaceuk.org/ba/ba.htm
*http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/blaarrow.htm
*BBC Radio 4 – [http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/archivehour/pip/d97r6/ "The Archive Hour – Britain's Space Race"] . 11 August 2007.

* cite web
title=Black Arrow R4 launch vehicle, 1971
url=http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects/space_technology/1972-325.aspx
publisher=Science Museum, London

* cite web
title=Black Arrow
url=http://members.aol.com/nicholashl/ukspace/blackarrow/blackarrow.htm
publisher=Nicholas Hill, The "levitation" picture, showing the R3 / Prospero launch lifting off on Gamma's invisibly transparent exhaust plume.

References