Black Arrow

For other uses, see Black Arrow (disambiguation).

Black Arrow
A mockup of the Black Arrow in the rocket park at Woomera.
FunctionCarrier rocket
Manufacturer
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Size
Height13 metres (43 ft)[1]
Diameter2 metres (6 ft 7 in)[2]
Mass18,130 kilograms (39,970 lb)[1]
Stages3
Capacity
Payload to LEO[altitude and inclination needed]
Altitude220 km (140 mi)
Mass135 kilograms (298 lb)[2]
Payload to LEO[altitude and inclination needed]
Altitude500 km (310 mi)
Mass102 kilograms (225 lb)[2]
Launch history
StatusRetired
Launch sitesWoomera LA-5B
Total launches2 (+2 suborbital)
Success(es)1 (+1 suborbital)
Failure(s)1 (+1 suborbital)
First flight27 June 1969[1]
Last flight28 October 1971[1]
First stage
Powered byGamma 8
Maximum thrust256.4 kilonewtons (57,600 lbf)
Specific impulse265 seconds (2.60 km/s)
Burn time131 seconds
PropellantRP-1/HTP
Second stage
Powered byGamma 2
Maximum thrust68.2 kilonewtons (15,300 lbf)
Specific impulse265 seconds (2.60 km/s)
Burn time116 seconds
PropellantRP-1/HTP
Third stage – Waxwing
Powered by1 solid
Maximum thrust27.3 kilonewtons (6,100 lbf)
Specific impulse278 seconds (2.73 km/s)
Burn time55 seconds
PropellantSolid
[edit on Wikidata]

Black Arrow, officially capitalised BLACK ARROW,[3] was a British satellite expendable launch system.

Black Arrow originated from studies by the Royal Aircraft Establishment for carrier rockets based on the earlier Black Knight rocket;[4] the project was authorised by the British government in late 1964. Development of Black Arrow was largely performed by the prime contractor, the British aerospace company Saunders-Roe, and later undertaken by Westland Aircraft as the result of a merger. Both the first and second stage engines were produced by Bristol Siddeley at their factory in Ansty, Warwickshire. Assembly of the first and second stages was carried out at East Cowes on the Isle of Wight. Once manufactured, each Black Arrow vehicle was transported by ship to Australia prior to being launched from the RAAF Woomera Range Complex.

Black Arrow was a three-stage rocket, fuelled by RP-1 paraffin (kerosene) and high-test peroxide, a concentrated form of hydrogen peroxide (85% hydrogen peroxide + 15% water).[5] While the first two stages featured thrust vectoring to provide attitude control,[4] the third stage did not have an attitude control system, and instead relied upon spin stabilization along with a reaction control system. The first stage was designed to be compatible with Blue Streak, as well as to be interchangeable with Coralie.[2] Furthermore, several derivatives of Black Arrow were proposed to provide for increased payload capacity.

A total of four launches of Black Arrow were performed between 1969 and 1971, the first two being demonstration flights to prove the launcher's capabilities. While the first and third flights were failures, the second and fourth flights were successful. Black Arrow's final flight placed the Prospero satellite into low Earth orbit, making it the first and only successful orbital launch to be conducted by the United Kingdom.[2] British officials decided to discontinue the programme in favour of using American Scout rockets instead, the Ministry of Defence having calculated this option to be cheaper than continuing with Black Arrow.[6] The final Black Arrow to be completed, which never flew, has been preserved intact at the Science Museum, London, along with the flight spare for the Prospero satellite.

  1. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference EA was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b c d e Cite error: The named reference Hill 2006 gen was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Gibson and Buttler 2007, [page needed].
  4. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Millard was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference timeshift was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference cancellation was invoked but never defined (see the help page).