Orion (rocket)
American sounding rocket
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Orion is the designation of a small American sounding rocket. The Orion has a length of 5.60 meters, a diameter of 0.35 m, a launch weight of 400 kg, a launch thrust of 7 kN and a ceiling of 85 kilometers. The Orion, built by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center's Wallops Flight Facility, is also used as an upper stage of sounding rockets, usually paired with a Terrier missile as the first stage,[2][3][4] although Nike, Taurus and VS-30 rockets are also used.[5]
One of the first Orion rockets (HAWK at the time) shortly after launch. | |
| Function | sounding rocket[1] |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | NASA |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Size | |
| Height | 5.60 m |
| Diameter | 0.35 m |
| Mass |
|
| Stages | 1 |
| Launch history | |
| Launch sites | Wallops, White Sands, Poker Flat, Andoya, Esrange, Barreira do Inferno |
| First stage | |
| Thrust | 7 kN |
Two Orion versions exist:[5]
- Orion, using a Aerojet M22E8 dual-thrust motor (from the MIM-23A Hawk missile).
- Improved Orion using a Aerojet M112 dual-thrust motor (from the MIM-23B I-Hawk missile).
The sounding rocket is launched from Wallops Flight Facility, White Sands, Poker Flat Rocket Range, Andoya Rocket Range, Esrange and Barreira do Inferno.[2][6][5]
Incidents
A lightning storm over the Wallops launch pad on 9 June 1987 ignited a NASA Orion rocket and 2 other sounding rockets. The Orion flew horizontally about 300 feet into the ocean. The sounding rockets rose to around 15,000 feet altitude, then fell about 2 miles from the launch pad. No persons were hurt in the incident.[7]
Gallery
Orion carrying experiments developed by students (June 8, 2006)
Improved Orion scheme
Improved Orion just after launch.
Improved Orion launch
