The NOTS-EV-2 Caleb, also known as NOTS-500, Hi-Hoe and SIP was an

expendable launch system An expendable launch system (or expendable launch vehicle/ELV) is a launch vehicle that can be launched only once, after which its components are either destroyed during reentry or discarded in space. ELVs typically consist of several rocket sta ...

, which was later used as a

sounding rocket A sounding rocket or rocketsonde, sometimes called a research rocket or a suborbital rocket, is an instrument-carrying rocket designed to take measurements and perform scientific experiments during its sub-orbital flight. The rockets are used to ...

and prototype

anti-satellite weapon Anti-satellite weapons (ASAT) are space weapons designed to incapacitate or destroy satellites for strategic or tactical purposes. Several nations possess operational ASAT systems. Although no ASAT system has been utilised in warfare, a few ...

. It was developed by the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

Naval Ordnance Test Station Naval Air Weapons Station (NAWS) China Lake is a large military installation in California that supports the research, testing and evaluation programs of the United States Navy. It is part of Navy Region Southwest under Commander, Navy Installat ...

(NOTS) as a follow-up to the

NOTS-EV-1 Pilot The NOTS-EV-1 Pilot, better known as NOTSNIK (pronounced nots''nik'' a play on "sputnik") was an expendable launch system and anti-satellite weapon developed by the United States Navy's Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, United States Naval Or ...

, which had been abandoned following ten launches officially classified as failed missions. Two were launched in July and October 1960, before the cancellation of the project. Following cancellation, two leftover Calebs were used in the Satellite Interceptor Program (SIP), while three more were used as sounding rockets, under the designation Hi-Hoe. These derivatives flew until July 1962, when the Hi-Hoe made its final flight.

Development

The Caleb was originally designed as a fast-response

orbit In celestial mechanics, an orbit is the curved trajectory of an object such as the trajectory of a planet around a star, or of a natural satellite around a planet, or of an artificial satellite around an object or position in space such as a p ...

al launch system, to place small

reconnaissance satellite A reconnaissance satellite or intelligence satellite (commonly, although unofficially, referred to as a spy satellite) is an Earth observation satellite or communications satellite deployed for military or intelligence applications. The ...

s, and other military payloads, into orbit at short notice. The orbital configurations were four-stage vehicles, whilst test launches used one- and two-stage configurations. The project was cancelled due to pressure from the

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...

, who were responsible for all other orbital launches conducted by the US military, and no attempts to launch the vehicle into orbit were made. Caleb was an air-launched rocket, with its two launches being conducted from

F4D Skyray The Douglas F4D Skyray (later redesignated F-6 Skyray) is an American carrier-based fighter/interceptor built by the Douglas Aircraft Company. Although it was in service for a relatively short time (1956–1964) and never entered combat, it ...

#747, the same aircraft used in the Pilot trials. Hi-Hoe was also air-launched. It was released from an F4H Phantom II, which provided greater performance. SIP launches were conducted from a ground launch pad on

San Nicolas Island San Nicolas Island (Spanish: ''Isla de San Nicolás''; Tongva: ''Haraasnga'') is the most remote of the Channel Islands, off of Southern California, 61 miles (98 km) from the nearest point on the mainland coast. It is part of Ventura Coun ...

. The aircraft used for the airborne launches took off from

Point Arguello Point Arguello (Spanish: ''Punta Argüello'') is a headland on the Gaviota Coast, in Santa Barbara County, California, near the city of Lompoc. The area was first used by the United States Navy in 1959 for the launch of military and sounding r ...

, which later became part of

Vandenberg Air Force Base Vandenberg may refer to: * Vandenberg (surname), including a list of people with the name * USS General Harry Taylor (AP-145), USNS ''General Hoyt S. Vandenberg'' (T-AGM-10), transport ship in the United States Navy, sank as an artificial reef in K ...

, currently

Vandenberg Space Force Base Vandenberg Space Force Base , previously Vandenberg Air Force Base, is a United States Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County, California. Established in 1941, Vandenberg Space Force Base is a space launch base, launching spacecraft from th ...

Operational history

The Caleb made its maiden flight, in a single-stage test configuration, on 28 July 1960. Its second flight was made on 24 October of the same year, and used a two-stage configuration. It was unsuccessful, due to the second stage's failure to ignite. Both test launches were

suborbital A sub-orbital spaceflight is a spaceflight in which the spacecraft reaches outer space, but its trajectory intersects the atmosphere or surface of the gravitating body from which it was launched, so that it will not complete one orbital r ...

. Both SIP launches used the two-stage configuration. The first was conducted on 1 October 1961. It was successful and reached an

apogee An apsis (; ) is the farthest or nearest point in the orbit of a planetary body about its primary body. For example, the apsides of the Earth are called the aphelion and perihelion. General description There are two apsides in any ellip ...

of . The second test, launched on 5 May 1962 was also successful, and reached the same apogee. The three Hi-Hoe launches were conducted on 5 October 1961, and 26 March and 25 July 1962. On the first two launches the second stage failed to ignite, however the third was successful, and reached an apogee of . Despite the program's turn towards success, the project was cancelled soon after the final Hi-Hoe test, the

Department of Defense Department of Defence or Department of Defense may refer to: Current departments of defence * Department of Defence (Australia) * Department of National Defence (Canada) * Department of Defence (Ireland) * Department of National Defense (Philippin ...

choosing to concentrate on the

U.S. Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Sign ...

Blue Scout The Scout family of rockets were American launch vehicles designed to place small satellites into orbit around the Earth. The Scout multistage rocket was the first orbital launch vehicle to be entirely composed of solid fuel stages. It was also t ...

sounding rocket program.Comments on "Caleb" by Joel W. Powell and K.W. Gatland
''Spaceflight'' magazine.

Launch history

References

{{Air-launched launchers Air launch to orbit Equipment of the United States Navy Sounding rockets of the United States Anti-satellite missiles Abandoned military rocket and missile projects of the United States

Development

Operational history

Launch history

See also

References