British research rockets, World Museum Liverpool

Skua is the designation of a British

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 ...

which was launched between 1959 and 1981 in 4 versions over 300 times. The Skua was developed by

Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, city, Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Glouces ...

Aerojet Aerojet was an American rocket and missile propulsion manufacturer based primarily in Rancho Cordova, California, with divisions in Redmond, Washington, Orange and Gainesville in Virginia, and Camden, Arkansas. Aerojet was owned by GenCorp. I ...

and RPE Wescott. It consisted of a starting stage made up of several

Chick Chick or chicks may refer to: *Chick (young bird), a bird that has not yet reached adulthood People * Chick (nickname), a list of people * Chick (surname), various people * Chick McGee, stage name of radio personality Charles Dean Hayes (born 19 ...

rockets that burned for 0.2 seconds. They propelled the rocket 20 metres over the 5-metre-long launch tube. After that, the Bantam main stage ignited. The fastest jetstream velocity ever measured (656 km/h or 408 mph) was recorded by instruments onboard a Skua rocket above South Uist, Outer Hebrides, Scotland at an altitude of 47,000 m (154,200 ft), on the 13th December 1967.https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/77427-strongest-jetstream

Skua 1

*starting stage: 3 Chick rockets (could be one) *payload: 5 kg *ceiling: 70 km *takeoff thrust: 20 kN *takeoff weight: 58 kg *diameter: 0.13 m *length: 2.24 m

Skua 2

*starting stage: 4 Chick rockets *upper stage: extended Bantam *payload: 5 kg *ceiling: 100 km *takeoff thrust: 27 kN *takeoff weight: 68 kg *diameter: 0.13 m *length: 2.42 m

Skua 3

*starting stage: 4 Chick rockets *payload: 5 kg *maximum height: 120 km *takeoff thrust: 27 kN *takeoff weight: 75 kg *diameter: 0.13 m *length: 2.80 m

Skua 4

*starting stage: 4 Chick rockets *upper stage: improved Bantam *payload: 8 kg *maximum height: 140 km *takeoff thrust: 27 kN *takeoff weight: 83 kg *diameter: 0.13 m *length: 2.80 m

References

External links

https://web.archive.org/web/20150824115536/http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/skua.htm
1974 in spaceflight Sounding rockets of the United Kingdom {{rocket-stub