Castor A

Castor
FunctionSounding rocket
ManufacturerInstituto de Investigaciones Aeronáuticas y Espaciales (IIAE)
Country of originArgentina
Size
Height8 m (26 ft)
Diameter0.69 m (2 ft 3 in)
Stages2
Launch history
Launch sitesCELPA Chamical, Vice Commodore Marambio Base, Chilca
Total launches7
Success(es)6
Failure(s)1
First flightDecember 22, 1969
Last flightMarch 22, 1979
stage – First Stage
Powered by4 Canopus II
stage – Second Stage
Powered by1 Canopus II

The Castor A was an Argentine sounding rocket designed in 1969 by the Instituto de Investigaciones Aeronáuticas y Espaciales (IIAE).[1][2]

The rocket featured a two-stage configuration, utilizing five Canopus II rockets (four in the first stage and one in the second).[1][2] It was capable of placing a 75 kg (165 lb) payload at a 400 km altitude.[1]

Throughout its operational lifespan, the Castor A was launched seven times.[1][3] It experienced one failure during one of its launches, thus achieving a success rate of approximately 83.3%.[1][3]

  1. ^ a b c d e "Castor (A)". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  2. ^ a b "NTI: Country Overviews: Argentina: Missile Chronology". 2006-02-19. Archived from the original on 2006-02-19. Retrieved 2023-07-27.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  3. ^ a b "Castor". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2023-07-27.