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Aerojet General X-8

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X-8 Aerobee
Aerojet X-8 rocket
Role Upper Atmospheric Research Vehicle, X-plane
Manufacturer Aerojet General
First flight 2 December 1949[1]
Primary users NACA/NASA
United States Air Force
United States Navy
Number built 108
Variants Aerobee

The Aerojet General X-8 was an unguided, spin-stabilized sounding rocket designed to launch a 150 lb (68 kg) payload to 200,000 feet (61.0 km).[2][3] The X-8 was a version of the prolific Aerobee rocket.[3][4][5] The Aerobee was developed in response to the need for a sounding rocket to replace the dwindling numbers of V-2s.[6] Design and initial development of the Aerobee occurred between June 1946 and November 1947.[7]

The first Aerobees, the Navy RTV-N-8a1 and Army Signal Corps XASR-SC-1, used the Aerojet XASR-1 2,600 lbf (12 kN) thrust air pressurized engine. Aerojet's XASR-1 was developed from the 1,500 lbf (7 kN) thrust WAC-1 engine of the WAC Corporal sounding rocket.[8] The USAF RTV-A-1 (X-8), Navy RTV-N-10 and Army XASR-SC-2s used the Aerojet XASR-2 2,600 lbf (12 kN) thrust helium pressurized engine.[9] In 1949 the Air Force instigated the development of a more powerful Aerojet engine to replace the 2,600 lb.-thrust XASR-2. This was the 4,000 lbf (18 kN) thrust helium pressurized AJ 10-25.[10] The USAF X-8A (RTV-A-1a) and USN RTV-N-10a used the seminal Aerojet AJ-10-25 (Air Force) or AJ-10-24 (Navy).[9][11]

The Air Force (Project MX-1011), ordered 33 AJ-10-25 powered Aerobees as RTV-A-1s.[12] That designation was later changed to X-8.[13] Ultimately the rocket was renamed again as RM-84.[14] The number of X-8s flown came to 60 including 28 X-8s (RTV-A-1), 30 X-8As (RTVM-A-1a), 1 X-8B (RTV-A-1b) with a 2,600 lbf (12 kN) thrust XASR-2 chemically pressurized engine, and 1 X-8C (RTV-A-1c) with a 4,000 lbf (18 kN) thrust AJ 10-25s helium pressurized engine with no booster.[15][16] The three X-8D with 4,000 lbf (18 kN) thrust AJ 10-25, were never flown.[17] A Navy experimental launch of a stretched Aerobee, the RTV-N-10b resulted in both services requesting improved Aerobees, known genericaly as Aerobee-Hi.[15][18]

Operational history

At launch, an 18,000 lbf (80 kN) thrust Aerojet 2.5KS18,000G solid rocket booster fired for 2.5 seconds.[17] After booster jettison, a 2,600 lbf (12 kN) thrust XASR-2 liquid fuel rocket burned for up to 40 seconds (depending on desired apogee).[17][19] The spent rocket then fell back in a ballistic arc, the payload returning to Earth via parachute. The baseline X-8 measured 20.2 ft (6.2 m) in length and measured 5.25 ft (1.6 m) across the fins. A X-8A reached a maximum altitude of 138.4 miles (222.7 km) Another reached a speed of Mach six.[3] The payloads of the X8s varied, averaging about 150 lbs.[17] There were 30 X-8s, 30 X-8As, 1 X-8B, 2 X8-Cs and 3 X-8Ds delivered to the Air Force.[17]

The first RTV-A-1 (X-8) flight was USAF-1, flown at Holloman Air Force Base (adjacent to and sharing the rang with White Sands Proving Ground). USAF-1 was launched on 2 December 1949 and reached an altitude of 14.2 miles (22.85 km). USAF-1 carried three experiments; a Solar Radiation Soft X-Ray detector for the Air Force Cambridge Research Center, a Pressure-Temperature study for Boston University, and a Color Earth Photography experiment for the Wright Patterson Air Force Base Equipment Laboratory. Rocket performance was good. Telemetry returned some data. The X-Ray detector foils ruptured and returned no data. Parachute failure resulted in the nose cone containing the experiments to be lost. The nose cone was found in July 1960, the film was destroyed.[20] This was a typical X-8 mission. From December 1949 until the last X-8A flight on 11/12/1956, the X-8s (RTV-A-1/RTV-A=1a)s flew a great variety of experiments. Typical payloads were solar radiation,temperature, pressure, photography, sky brightness, atmosphere composition, , winds,airglow, rocket performance, biological, density, day airglow, ionosphere, sodium studies, nitric oxide to produce a sporadic E layer, nitric oxide attempt to recombine atomic oxygen, sodium cloud ionization and solar spectrum and atmospheric composition.[21] All but the last X-8 mission were flown for the ARDC from Holloman AFB. The last X-8 was flown for the Signal Corps Electronic Laboratory from Fort Churchill, Canada on 11/12/1956 and studied temperature and winds.[15] After the X-8s Air Force Aerobees were known by their engine model numbers, either AJ-10-27 or AJ-10-34.[22]

Variants

  • X-8 - 30
  • X-8A - 30
  • X-8B - 1
  • X-8C - 2
  • X-8D - 3

Specifications (general)

Data from The X-Planes: X-1 to X-45[1]

General characteristics

  • Crew: unmanned

Performance Armament
None

See also

Related development

References

  1. ^ a b Miller, Jay (2001). "Aerojet General X-8A, X-8B, X-8C, and X-8D Aerobee". The X-Planes: X-1 to X-45. Hinckley, UK: Midland. ISBN 1-85780-109-1.
  2. ^ Van Allen, James A.; Townsend, Jr. (1959). "Chapter 4:The Aerobee Rocket". In Newell,, Homer E. (ed.). Sounding Rockets. McGraw-Hill Book Company. p. 56. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |lastauthoramp= ignored (|name-list-style= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  3. ^ a b c Miller, Jay, The X-Planes, 1988, Arlington, Texas: Aerofax,Inc., ISBN 0-517-56749-0, page 81
  4. ^ Van Allen, James A.; Townsend, Jr. (1959). "Chapter 4:The Aerobee Rocket". In Newell,, Homer E. (ed.). Sounding Rockets. McGraw-Hill Book Company. pp. 55–57, 62, Table 4-1. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |lastauthoramp= ignored (|name-list-style= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  5. ^ Smith, Charles P. Jr. (February 1958). Naval Research Laboratory Report No. 4276 Upper Atmospheric Research Report Number XXI, Summary of Upper Atmosphere Rocket Research Firings (pdf). Washington D.C.: Naval Research Loboratory. pp. 46, 293 (V-2 NO. 20). Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  6. ^ Van Allen, James A.; Townsend, Jr. (1959). "Chapter 4:The Aerobee Rocket". In Newell,, Homer E. (ed.). Sounding Rockets. McGraw-Hill Book Company. p. 55. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |lastauthoramp= ignored (|name-list-style= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  7. ^ Van Allen, James A.; Townsend, Jr. (1959). "Chapter 4:The Aerobee Rocket". In Newell,, Homer E. (ed.). Sounding Rockets. McGraw-Hill Book Company. p. 57. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |lastauthoramp= ignored (|name-list-style= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  8. ^ Sutton,, George P. (2006). History of Liquid Propellant Rocket Engines. Reston, Virginia: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. p. 371. ISBN 1-56347-649-5. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  9. ^ a b Van Allen, James A.; Townsend, Jr. (1959). "Chapter 4:The Aerobee Rocket". In Newell,, Homer E. (ed.). Sounding Rockets. McGraw-Hill Book Company. p. 60. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |lastauthoramp= ignored (|name-list-style= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  10. ^ Van Allen, James A.; Townsend, Jr. (1959). "Chapter 4:The Aerobee Rocket". In Newell,, Homer E. (ed.). Sounding Rockets. McGraw-Hill Book Company. p. 62. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |lastauthoramp= ignored (|name-list-style= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  11. ^ The AJ-10 series of rocket engines spanned 49 different versions and the history of space exploration. From the Aerobee and Vanguard, then Able and Delta SLVs, Titan SLVs, the Apollo Service Module engine and the Space Shuttle Orbital Maneuver engine. (Sutton, George P., History of Liquid Propellant Rocket Engines, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Reston, Virginia, 2006 , pages 371-377, ISBN1-56347-649-5)
  12. ^ Parsch, Andreas. "Air Force designations 1951 - 1955". Directory of U.S. Military Rockets and Missiles. pp. Appendix 1. Retrieved 2016-03-16. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  13. ^ Parsch, Andreas. "Air Force designations 1951 - 1955". Directory of U.S. Military Rockets and Missiles. pp. Appendix 1. Retrieved 2016-03-16. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  14. ^ Parsch, Andreas. "\Air Force designations 1951 - 195". Directory of U.S. Military Rockets and Missiles. pp. Appendix 1. Retrieved 2016-03-16. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  15. ^ a b c Miller, Jay, The X-Planes, 1988, Arlington, Texas: Aerofax,Inc., ISBN 0-517-56749-0, page 82
  16. ^ Includes 1 flown for the SCEL as SC-31 and another flown for the same agency as SM1.01Van Allen, James A.; Townsend, Jr. (1959). "Chapter 4:The Aerobee Rocket". In Newell,, Homer E. (ed.). Sounding Rockets. McGraw-Hill Book Company. pp. 68–69. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |lastauthoramp= ignored (|name-list-style= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  17. ^ a b c d e Miller, Jay, The X-Planes, 1988, Arlington, Texas: Aerofax,Inc., ISBN 0-517-56749-0, page 80
  18. ^ Van Allen, James A.; Townsend, Jr. (1959). "Chapter 4:The Aerobee Rocket". In Newell,, Homer E. (ed.). Sounding Rockets. McGraw-Hill Book Company. p. 68. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |lastauthoramp= ignored (|name-list-style= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  19. ^ "Aerojet General RM-84/PWN-2 Aerobee-Hi (and earlier Aerobee variants)". Directory of U.S. Military Rockets and Missiles. Retrieved 2015-08-14.
  20. ^ Smith, Charles P. Jr. (February 1958). Naval Research Laboratory Report No. 4276 Upper Atmospheric Research Report Number XXI, Summary of Upper Atmosphere Rocket Research Firings (pdf). Washington D.C.: Naval Research Laboratory. pp. 46–47 (Aerobe USAF-1). Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  21. ^ Smith, Charles P. Jr. (February 1958). Naval Research Laboratory Report No. 4276 Upper Atmospheric Research Report Number XXI, Summary of Upper Atmosphere Rocket Research Firings (pdf). Washington D.C.: Naval Research Laboratory. pp. 46–186 (Aerobe USAF-1). Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  22. ^ Van Allen, James A.; Townsend, Jr. (1959). "Chapter 4:The Aerobee Rocket". In Newell,, Homer E. (ed.). Sounding Rockets. McGraw-Hill Book Company. pp. Table 4-3. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |lastauthoramp= ignored (|name-list-style= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
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