Scout X-1

Scout X-1

Launch of Explorer 9 on a Scout X-1
Function	Expendable launch system Sounding rocket
Manufacturer	Vought
Country of origin	United States
Size
Height	25 m (82 ft)
Diameter	1.01 m (3 ft 4 in)
Mass	16,240 kg (35,800 lb)
Stages	Four
Associated rockets
Family	Scout
Derivative work	Scout X-1A Blue Scout I Blue Scout II
Launch history
Status	Retired
Launch sites	Wallops LA-3
Total launches	7
Success(es)	3
Failure(s)	4
First flight	1960-07-02
Last flight	1961-10-19
First stage – Algol 1B
Powered by	1 solid
Maximum thrust	471 kN (106,000 lbf)
Specific impulse	236 seconds
Burn time	40 seconds
Propellant	Solid
Second stage – Castor 1A
Powered by	1 solid
Maximum thrust	286 kN (64,000 lbf)
Specific impulse	247 seconds
Burn time	27 seconds
Propellant	Solid
Third stage – Antares 1A
Powered by	1 X-254
Maximum thrust	60 kN (13,000 lbf)
Specific impulse	256 seconds
Burn time	39 seconds
Propellant	Solid
Fourth stage – Altair 1A
Powered by	1 X-248A
Maximum thrust	14 kN (3,100 lbf)
Specific impulse	255 seconds
Burn time	40 seconds
Propellant	Solid
[edit on Wikidata]

Scout X-1 was an American expendable launch system and sounding rocket which was flown seven times between August 1960 and October 1961. Four orbital and three suborbital launches were made, with four of the launches resulting in failures.^[1]

The Scout X-1 was similar to the Scout X test vehicle which was launched in April 1960, however it had live second and fourth stages, as opposed to the battleship versions used on the Scout X. It also featured an improved first stage, using an Algol 1B instead of the earlier Algol 1A used on the Scout X.^[1][2]

Several derivatives of the Scout X-1 were also flown. The United States Navy developed the Blue Scout, which was a three-stage sounding rocket, and the Blue Scout II which was almost identical to the Scout X-1. The Scout X-1A, a five-stage variant of the Scout X-1, was used for a single suborbital launch in March 1962. It featured an improved first stage, and a NOTS-17 upper stage.