Aerojet General X-8

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

X-8 Aerobee

Aerojet X-8 rocket

Type Upper Atmospheric Research Vehicle, X-Plane
Manufacturer Aerojet General
Maiden 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). The X-8 was later spun-off into the prolific Aerobee rocket.

Contents

[edit] Operational history

At launch, an 18,000 lbf (155,640 kn) thrust Aerojet solid rocket booster fired for 2.5 seconds. After booster jettison, a 2,600 lbf (22,481 kn) thrust RTV-N10 liquid fuel rocket burned for up to 40 seconds (depending on desired apogee). 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. In testing, a maximum altitude of 138 miles (222.1 km) and a speed of Mach six was achieved.

[edit] Variants

  • X-8 - 68
  • X-8A - 34
  • X-8B - 1
  • X-8C - 2
  • X-8D - 3

[edit] Specifications (general)

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

General characteristics

  • Crew: unmanned
  • Length: 20ft 1.5in ()
  • Wingspan: 5ft 3in ()
  • Height: 15in ()
  • Wing area: 36ft² ()
  • Empty weight: 135lb ()
  • Loaded weight: 1,097lb ()
  • Useful load: 150-300lb ()

Performance

Armament None

[edit] See also

Related development

[edit] 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 1857801091. 

[edit] External links