Black Arrow

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Black Arrow

A Black Arrow rocket launches the Prospero X-3 satellite. The relatively pale exhaust results from the use of hydrogen peroxide as the oxidiser.
Fact sheet
Function	Orbital carrier rocket
Manufacturer	Royal Aircraft Establishment
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Size
Height	13 m
Diameter	1.98 m
Mass	18,130 kg
Stages	3
	Capacity
Payload to LEO	73 kg
Launch History
Status	Retired
Launch Sites	LA-5B, Woomera
Total launches	4
Successes	2
Failures	2
Maiden flight	22:58 GMT, June 27, 1969
Last flight	04:09 GMT, October 28, 1971
First satellite orbited	04:09 GMT, October 28, 1971 Prospero X-3
First Stage - Blue Streak (modified)
Engines	8 Gamma
Thrust	23,945 kgf
Specific Impulse	265 sec
Burn time	142 seconds
Fuel	H2O2/Kerosene
Second Stage
Engines	2 Gamma
Thrust	6,958 kgf
Specific Impulse	265 sec
Burn time	113 seconds
Fuel	H2O2/Kerosene
Third Stage
Engines	1 Solid
Thrust	3,000 kgf
Specific Impulse	278 sec
Burn time	28 seconds
Fuel	Solid

This article is about the rocket, for the novel, see The Black Arrow

Black Arrow was a British satellite carrier rocket, based on the Black Knight and Blue Streak rockets. Black Arrow was the brainchild of British engineer John Scott-Scott. It was developed by the Royal Aircraft Establishment and built by Saunders-Roe on the Isle of Wight. Its engines were tested at The Needles^[1] before being launched at Woomera in Australia.

The rocket used hydrogen peroxide oxidizer with kerosene fuel.

Contents 1 Launches 2 Cancellation 3 Legacy 4 See also 5 External links 6 References

[edit] 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 nationality).

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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 2006, the UK is the only nation to have successfully developed and then abandoned a satellite launch capability.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] See also

• List of missiles
• UK topics
• Rainbow Codes

[edit] External links

• Science Museum - Black Arrow
• http://www.spaceuk.org/ba/ba.htm
• http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/blaarrow.htm

[edit] References

1. ^ Rocket Testing at The Needles

British Cold War Defence Projects Air-to-air missiles Blue Sky | Blue Jay | Red Dean | Red Hebe | Blue Jay Mk 4 "Red Top" | Blue Vesta Air-to-surface missiles Green Cheese | Blue Steel Surface-to-air missiles and satellite launch vehicles Red Duster | Red Shoes | Blue Streak | Black Arrow | Black Knight Surface-to-surface missile Orange William | Blue Rapier/Red Rapier cruise missiles Nuclear warheads Red Snow | Yellow Sun | Violet Club | Red Beard | Blue Danube | Blue Peacock Artillery Green Mace

The Black Arrow was also an arrow used by Bard the Bowman in his attempt to slay Smaug. It is hinted in the book that it has been passed through generation. Bard also says that it has never missed it's mark, and that it had always come back to him, wherever he shot it.