Function | Sounding rocket |
---|---|
Manufacturer | Institute of Aeronautics and Space |
Country of origin | Brazil |
Size | |
Height | 12.6 m |
Diameter | 0.56 m |
Mass | 2,570 kg |
Stages | 2 |
Capacity | |
Payload to Suborbital flight | |
Altitude | 270 km |
Mass | 400 kg |
Launch history | |
Status | Active |
Launch sites | Alcântara Esrange |
First flight | 23 October 2004 |
First stage – S-31 | |
Height | 3.2 m (10 ft) |
Diameter | 0.56 m (1 ft 10 in) |
Empty mass | 284 kg (626 lb) |
Gross mass | 900 kg (2,000 lb) |
Maximum thrust | 240 kN (54,000 lbf) |
Burn time | 11 seconds |
Propellant | Solid |
Second stage – S-30 | |
Height | 3.3 m (11 ft) |
Diameter | 0.56 m (1 ft 10 in) |
Empty mass | 341 kg (752 lb) |
Gross mass | 1,200 kg (2,600 lb) |
Maximum thrust | 102 kN (23,000 lbf) |
Burn time | 20 seconds |
Propellant | Solid |
VSB-30 - "Veículo de Sondagem Booster – 30" (Booster Sounding Vehicle) or "Foguete Suborbital VSB-30" is the designation of a Brazilian sounding rocket, which replaced the Skylark rocket at Esrange.
The VSB-30 is based on the VS-30 rocket (S-30 engine) with the addition of a booster stage (S-31 engine). Development started in 2000 in cooperation with DLR.[1] The rocket can carry a payload of 400 kg to an altitude of 270 km.[1] It has a liftoff thrust of 240 kN and a total mass of 2570 kg. It has a diameter of 0.56 m and a length of 12.6 m.
VSB-30 was first launched on October 23, 2004, at Alcântara Launch Center. The first launch at Esrange took place on December 1, 2005.