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Scout

The first launch of Scout B, in 1965.
Function	Orbital launch vehicle
Manufacturer	LTV Aerospace Corporation
Country of origin	United States
Launch history
Status	Retired
[edit on Wikidata]

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 the only vehicle of that type until the successful launch of the Japanese Lambda 4S in 1970.

The original Scout (a backronym for Solid Controlled Orbital Utility Test system) was designed in 1957 at the NACA, at Langley center. Scout launch vehicles were used from 1961 until 1994. To enhance reliability the development team opted to use "off the shelf" hardware, originally produced for military programs. According to the NASA fact sheet:

"... the first stage motor was a combination of the Jupiter Senior and the Navy Polaris; the second stage came from the Army MGM-29 Sergeant; and the third and fourth stage motors were designed by Langley engineers who adapted a version of the Navy Vanguard."

The first successful orbital launch of a Scout, on February 16, 1961, delivered Explorer 9, a 7 kilograms (15 lb) satellite used for atmospheric density studies, into orbit. The final launch of a Scout, using a Scout G-1, was on May 8, 1994, from Vandenberg Air Force Base. The payload was the Miniature Sensor Technology Integration Series 2 (MSTI-2) military spacecraft with a mass of 163 kilograms (359 lb). MSTI-2 successfully acquired and tracked a LGM-30 Minuteman missile.

The standard Scout launch vehicle was a solid propellant, four-stage booster system, approximately 23 meters (75 ft) in length with a launch weight of 21,499 kilograms (47,397 lb).

Scout A

The Scout A was used for launches of the Transit NNSS series (Transit-O 6 to 19), placing two satellites in orbit at the same time. Twelve flights were conducted between 21 December 1965 and 27 August 1970. It was also used to launch the British Ariel 3 scientific satellite. Standard payload capability was 122 kg into a low-Earth orbit.

Parameters

• Thrust at liftoff: 513.40 kN (52,352 kgf)
• Mass at launch: 17,850 kg
• Diameter: 1.01 m
• Length: 25.00 m

Stage 1: Algol

• Derived from Polaris missile
• Gross Mass: 11,600 kg
• Empty Mass: 1,650 kg
• Vacuum thrust: 564.25 kN (57,537 kgf)
• Burn time: 47 s
• Diameter: 1.01 m
• Span: 1.01 m
• Length: 9.09 m

Stage 2: Castor

• Derived from Sergeant missile
• Gross Mass: 4,424 kg
• Empty Mass: 695 kg
• Vacuum thrust: 258.92 kN (26,402 kgf)
• Burn time: 37 s
• Diameter: 0.79 m
• Span: 0.79 m
• Length: 6.04 m

Stage 3: Antares

• Gross Mass: 1,400 kg
• Empty Mass: 300 kg
• Vacuum thrust: 93.09 kN (9,493 kgf)
• Burn time: 36 s
• Diameter: 0.78 m
• Span: 0.78 m
• Length: 2.90 m

Stage 4: Altair

• Gross Mass: 275 kg
• Empty Mass: 37 kg
• Vacuum thrust: 22.24 kN (2,268 kgf)
• Burn time: 28 s
• Diameter: 0.64 m
• Span: 0.64 m
• Length: 2.53 m

Scout-X1 (NASA)

In the late 1950s, NASA established the Scout program to develop a multistage solid-propellant space booster and research rocket. The U.S. Air Force also participated in the program, but different requirements led to some divergence in the development of NASA and USAF Scouts.

The basic NASA Scout configuration, from which all variants were derived, was known as Scout-X1. It was a four-stage rocket, which used the following motors:

• 1st stage: Aerojet General Algol
• 2nd stage: Thiokol XM33 Castor
• 3rd stage: Allegany Ballistics Laboratory X-254 Antares
• 4th stage: Allegany Ballistics Laboratory X-248 Altair

Scout's first-stage motor was based on an earlier version of the Navy's Polaris missile motor; the second-stage motor was developed from the Army's Sergeant surface-to-surface missile; and the third- and fourth-stage motors were adapted by NASA's Langley Research Center; Hampton, VA, from the Navy's Vanguard launch vehicle. Unlike the Thor or Atlas-Agena the Scout was non-military and could be sold to foreign customers.

The Scout X-1 first flew successfully on 10 October 1960, after an earlier failure in July 1960. The rocket's first stage had four stabilizing fins, and the vehicle incorporated a gyro-based guidance system for attitude stabilization to keep the rocket on course.

Satellites orbited

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (August 2008)

• San Marco 1, the first Italian satellite (in 1964), launched by an Italian crew.
• San Marco 2, the second Italian satellite (in 1967) and first in the world launched from a sea platform. Three more San Marco satellites would use Scout rockets. Italy owned San Marco platform launched in 1967-1984 Scout rockets only.
• AEREOS and AEROS B atmospheric research
• Ariel 3, the first satellite designed and constructed in the United Kingdom, and four other Ariel satellites (Ariel 2, 4, 5 and 6) including first satellite for radioastronomy - Ariel 2.
• Magsat, the first globally complete 3D map of Earth's magnetic fields.
• Transit satellites, a prototype satellite Transit 5A was launched 1962-12-19 by a Scout X-3. On four different flights, Scout rockets placed two Transit satellites in orbit with a single launch. The last of these, on 1988-08-25, launched Transit-O 31 and Transit O-25 on a Scout G rocket.
• OFO-A, launched bullfrogs into space for biological experiments (1970)
• FR-1, a French satellite used to study VLF propagation (1965)
• Astronomical Netherlands Satellite, ANS was the first Dutch satellite (30 August 1974). (ANS; also known as Astronomische Nederlandse Satelliet) was a space-based X-ray and ultraviolet telescope.
• Miniature Sensor Technology Integration Series 2 (MSTI-2), launched into low earth orbit on 8 May 1994 local time aboard the last NASA SCOUT booster.
• Explorer 9, 13(S 55), 13(S 55a), 16, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 27, 30, 37, 39, 42, 45, 46, 48, 52, 53, 56, and 57
• Uhuru, the first XRay orbital observatory, which confirmed the first black hole detected Cygnus X-1
• ESRO 1 A/B, 2A/B,
• Miranda
• ANS 1
• San Marco 4, 5
• Triad 2
• Gravity Probe A
• Triad 3
• Transat
• AEM 1, 2
• Nova 1
• Nova 2
• HILAT
• Nova 3
• ITV 1, 2
• Polar BEAR
• REX 1
• SAMPEX
• Radical
• DSAP 1 F1, F2, F3, F4, F5
• RFD 1, 2.
• OTV3 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

Scout X-1A

Scout X-1A was an American sounding rocket which was flown in 1962. It was a five-stage derivative of the earlier Scout X-1, with an uprated first stage, and a NOTS-17 upper stage.

Scout X-2

Scout X-2 was an American expendable launch system and sounding rocket which was flown twice in 1962. It was a four-stage rocket, based on the earlier Scout X-1, introducing the Algol 1D and Antares IIB stage upgrades. On 1962-08-23 a Scout X-2 was used for the first successful launch of a DMSP satellite, lifting off from Point Arguello near Vandenberg Air Force Base.

Scout X-3

The Scout X-3 flew after 1962 and introduced the Algol IIA upgrade.

Scout X-4

The Scout X-4 flew after 1963 and introduced Altair 2 upgrade.

Scout A-1

The Scout A-1 flew in 1973 and introduced the Castor IIA upgrades.

Scout B-1

The Scout B-1 flew after 1971 and introduced the Altair III upgrades.

Scout D-1

The Scout D-1 flew in 1972 and introduced the Algol III upgrade.

Scout F-1

The Scout F-1 flew twice in 1975, and was composed of a Algol-3A first stage, a Castor-2A second stage, a Antares-2B third stage and a Star-20 fourth stage. It successfully launched Small Astronomy Satellite 3 from the San Marco Launch Complex, but failed on launching the Dual Air Density Explorer satellites from Vandenberg.

Scout G-1

The Scout G-1 flew from 1974 until the Scout's retirement in 1994. It was rated to orbit a 210 kg payload.

XRM-89 Blue Scout I (USAF)

The USAF Scout program was known as HETS (Hyper Environmental Test System) or System 609A, and the rockets were generally referred to as Blue Scout. The prime contractor for the NASA Scout was LTV, but the Blue Scout prime contractor was Ford Aeronutronics.

By using different combinations of rocket stages, the USAF created several different Blue Scout configurations. One of these was the XRM-89 Blue Scout I, which was a three-stage vehicle, using Castor 2 and an Antares 1A stages, but omitting the basic Scout's Altair 4th stage. The first launch of an XRM-89 occurred on 1961-01-07, and was mostly successful. On that flight, the XRM-89 carried a variety of experiments to measure rocket performance and high-altitude fields and particle radiation. The payload was located in a recoverable reentry capsule, but the capsule sank before it could be recovered from the water. The only other XRM-89 launches (in May 1961 and April 1962) were unsuccessful, and the Blue Scout I program was terminated in 1962.

XRM-90 Blue Scout II (USAF)

The XRM-90 Blue Scout II was a rocket of the U.S. Air Force's System 609A Blue Scout family. The XRM-90 was a four-stage rocket, which used the same stages as the basic NASA Scout. It was nevertheless not identical to the latter, because the 4th stage was hidden in a payload fairing with the same diameter as the 3rd stage, and the first stage nozzle used a flared tail skirt between the fins. Externally, the XRM-90 was indistinguishable from the XRM-89 Blue Scout I.

The first XRM-90 launch occurred on 1961-03-03, followed by a second one on 1961-04-12. Both sub-orbital flights were successful, and measured radiation levels in the Van Allen belts. The second Blue Scout II also carried a micrometeorite sampling experiment, but the recovery of the reentry capsule failed. The third XRM-90 was used by NASA in November 1961 for Mercury-Scout 1. This was an attempt to orbit a communications payload for Project Mercury, but the rocket failed after 28 seconds of flight. The USAF subsequently abandoned the XRM-89 Blue Scout I and XRM-90 Blue Scout II vehicles, and shifted to the RM-91/SLV-1B Blue Scout Junior instead.

XRM-91 Blue Scout Junior / Journeyman B (USAF)

The XRM-91 Blue Scout Junior (sometimes called Journeyman B) was a rocket of the U.S. Air Force's System 609A Blue Scout family. Although the Blue Scout Junior had sufficient impulse to have put a small satellite in low Earth orbit, it was not used as an orbital launch vehicle. The XRM-91 did not resemble the other Scout variants externally, because the usual first Scout stage (an Aerojet General Algol) was not used. Instead, the four-stage Blue Scout Junior used Scout's 2nd and 3rd stages (Castor and Antares) as the first two stages, and added an Aerojet General Alcor and a spherical NOTS Cetus in a common nose fairing. The XRM-91 also lacked the gyro-stabilization and guidance system of the RM-89 Blue Scout I and RM-90 Blue Scout II, making it a completely unguided rocket. It relied on second-stage fins and two spin motors to achieve a stable flight trajectory.

The first launch of an XRM-91 occurred on September 21, 1960, making it actually the first Blue Scout configuration to fly. The flight was planned to make radiation and magnetic field measurements at distances of up to 26 700 km (16 600 miles) from earth, and while the rocket did indeed achieve this altitude, the telemetry system failed so that no data was received. The second launch in November ended with a failure during second stage burn. The third flight was to measure particle densities in the Van Allen belts and reached a distance of 225 000 km (140 000 miles), but again a telemetry failure prevented the reception of scientific data. The fourth and final XRM-91 mission in December 1961 also carried particle detectors, and was the only completely successful flight of the initial Blue Scout Junior program.

The Blue Scout Junior was regarded by the USAF as the most useful of the various Blue Scout configurations. It was used (in slightly modified form) between 1962 and 1965 by the Air Force as the SLV-1B/C launch vehicle for suborbital scientific payloads. The SLV-1C was also chosen as the rocket for the MER-6A interim ERCS (Emergency Rocket Communications System) vehicle; this provided a reliable and survivable emergency communications method for the United States National Command Authority, using a UHF repeater that would transmit pre-recorded messages to all units within line-of-sight of the rocket's apogee.

NASA used a three-stage Blue Scout Junior configuration (omitting the Cetus 4th stage) as the RAM B.

San Marco Project

The Italian space research program began in 1959 with the creation of the CRA (Centro Ricerche Aerospaziali) at the University of Rome. Three years later, on 7 September 1962, the university signed a memorandum of understanding with NASA to collaborate on a space research program named San Marco (St. Mark). The Italian launch team was trained by NASA. The San Marco project was focused on the launching of scientific satellites by Scout rockets from a mobile rigid platform located close to the equator. This station, composed of 3 oil platforms and two logistical support boats, was installed off the Kenya coast, close to the town of Malindi.

Launches

Debris

The Scout rockets have contributed to several pieces of debris over the years, some of which is still orbiting as of 2023.

See also

• Comparison of orbital launchers families

References

1. "Scout". www.astronautix.com. Archived from the original on December 27, 2016. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
2. "Scout Launch Vehicle Program". NASA. Archived from the original on 2016-11-10. Retrieved 2005-08-07.
3. "Scout". The Satellite Encyclopedia.
4. "Scout G". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on May 2, 2002.
5. ^ "Miniature Sensor Technology Integration MSTI series". NASA. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
6. "MSTI 2". Skyrocket. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
7. ^ "NASA'S SCOUT LAUNCH VEHICLE". NASA GSFC. Archived from the original on 2008-05-10.
8. ^ "Scout-A". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2024-09-28.
9. "LTV SLV-1 Scout".
10. Ley, Willy (December 1967). "Astronautics International". For Your Information. Galaxy Science Fiction. pp. 110–120.
11. Yenne, Bill (1985). The Encyclopedia of US Spacecraft. Exeter Books (A Bison Book), New York. ISBN 0-671-07580-2.p.12 AEROS
12. "Transit". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on June 24, 2002.
13. "Transit 5A - NSSDC ID: 1962-071A". NASA NSSDC.
14. "Transit-O 31- NSSDC ID: 1988-074B". NASA NSSDC.
15. "Gunter's Space Page FR 1".
16. Krebs, Gunter (March 5, 2017). "Scout Family". space.skyrocket.de. Retrieved July 1, 2017.
17. "Scout-X1A". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2024-04-06.
18. Mark Wade. "Scout X-2". Archived from the original on December 27, 2016. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
19. "P35 2 - NSSDC ID: 1962-039A". NASA NSSDC.
20. Shaltanis, Capt Dan A. "Defense Meteorological Satellite Program History". Archived from the original on 2008-07-20.
21. "Scout-X3". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2024-04-06.
22. Mark Wade. "Scout X-4". Archived from the original on December 27, 2016. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
23. "Scout-A1". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2024-04-06.
24. "Scout-B1". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2024-04-06.
25. "Scout-D1". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2024-04-06.
26. "Scout-F1". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2024-04-06.
27. "Display: DADE-A". NASA. 28 October 2021. Retrieved 19 November 2021. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
28. "Display: DADE-B". NASA. 28 October 2021. Retrieved 19 November 2021. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
29. "Scout-G1". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2024-04-06.
30. Scout information sheet at astronautix.com (accessed 2008-10-22)
31. Parsch, Andreas. Ford MER-6 Blue Scout. Designation-Systems.net, 9 July 2007. Accessed 2020-04-30.
32. "NSYO Database search for SCOUT". Retrieved 22 February 2023.

Krebs, Gunter Dirk. "Scout Family". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2024-06-15.

External links

• Profile of the Blue Scout Junior
• Specifications and chronology of the Scout series

v t e Scout rockets
Main articles	Scout family List of Scout launches
Rockets	Scout X Scout X Scout X-1 Scout X-1A Scout X-2 Scout X-2B Scout X-2M Scout X-3 Scout X-3A Scout X-3C Scout X-3M Scout X-4 Scout X-4A Scout X-5C Blue Scout Blue Scout Junior Blue Scout I Blue Scout II Later Series Scout A Scout A-1 Scout B Scout B-1 Scout D-1 Scout E-1 Scout F-1 Scout G-1 Scout 2 Test Vehicle Cancelled Scout A-2 Scout B-2 Scout C Scout 2 Other RAM-B
Launch sites	Arguello LC-A LC-D Canaveral LC-18 San Marco Vandenberg SLC-5 Wallops LA-3
Components	Alcyone Algol Altair Antares Castor MG-18 NOTS-17

Articles and topics related to the Scout rocket family

v t e 1963 United States tri-service rocket designations and post-1963 undesignated rockets Designated (1–) MGR-1 AIR-2 MGR-3 RUR-4 RUR-5 MER-6 ADR-7 ADR-8 ADR-9 ADR-10 ADR-11 ADR-12 MQR-13 AGR-14 MTR-15 MQR-16 FGR-17 GTR-18 AGR-19 AGR-20 AGR-21 Undesignated DAGR FFAR (Mk 4) GATR Hydra 70 LOCAT LOGIR Mighty Mouse Zuni M72 LAW M136 AT4 MK153 SMAW M141 BDM M202 FLASH M26 MLRS United States tri-service rocket and guided missile designations post-1962 Research rocket designations v t e 1955–1962 United States Air Force rocket and missile designations Air-to-air missiles 1955–1961 sequence MB-1 GAR-1 GAR-2 GAR-3 GAR-4 GAR-5 GAR-6 GAR-8 GAR-9 GAR-11 1961–1963 sequence AIM-101 Other types TM-61 SM-62 GAM-63 SM-64 SM-65 GAM-67 SM-68 IM-69 IM-70 GAM-71 GAM-72 SM-73 SM-74 SM-75 TM-76 GAM-77 SM-78 GAM-79 SM-80 RM-81 RM-82 GAM-83 RM-84 RM-85 RM-86 GAM-87 SRM-88 RM-89 RM-90 RM-91 RM-92 IM-99 Undesignated types Alpha Draco Bold Orion Cherokee High Virgo Jaguar Pye Wacket Skokie Skydart Sky Scorcher Supersonic Low Altitude Missile See also: USAF missile designations 1947–51 United States tri-service missile and drone designations post-1962 v t e USAF and USSF space vehicle designations (since 1962) SLV series SLV-1 (Scout) SLV-2 (Thor) SLV-3 (Atlas) SLV-4 (Titan II) SLV-5 (Titan) SB series SB-1 SB-2 SB-3 SB-4 SB-5 SB-6 SSB-7 SSB-8 SSB-9 SSB-10 ASB-11 Satellites WS-1 WS-2 LS-3 ES-4 ES-5 LS-6 NS-7 ES-8 LS-9 LS-10 (I) XSS-10 (II) XSS-11 XSS-12 S-13 ES-14 LS-15 LS-16 ES-17 EWS-G1 EWS-G2 Not assigned Unofficial designation Designation believed to be this type but unconfirmed v t e United States Air Force system numbers 100–199 100 101 P 102 103 104 105 106 107 A-1 A-2 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 L M 118 A L P 119 C/F E L T Y 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 A B 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143–197 198 199 B C D Y 200–299 200 201 A/L B/W E 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 A G 223 224 225 226 227–238 239 240–278 279 280–298 299 300–399 300 301 302 303 304 305 306 A/L B 307 308 309 310 311 312 313 314 315 A-1 A-2 316 317 318 319 320 321 322 323 324 L M/N 325 326 327 E 328 E 329 F 330 331 332 333 334 335 336 337 338–379 380 A/B/E/F/N P 381–397 398 399 A B 400–499 400 B/C/N E G/H M 401 402 403 404 405 B C D 406 407 408 409 410 E L 411 E L 412 413 414 L M 415 416 L M (I) M (II) P Q 417 418 L M 419 420 L/W 421 422 423 424 425 426 L M 427 L M 428 A L 429 430 431 G (I) G (II) 432 433 434 435 A L 436 437 438 439 440 441 A D L 442 443 444 445 L M 446 447 448 449 450 451 D L 452 453 454 455 456 457 458 459 460 L 461 462 463 464 465 466 467 468 469 470 471 L (I) L (II) 472 473 474 L N 475 476 E 477 478 A T 479 480 481 L 482 E L M/Z 483 484 L M N 485 L Z 486 487 488 489 490 L M 491 492 493 494 495 L (I) L (II) 496 497 A L (I) L 498 A C D E L 499 A C D 500–599 500 501–519 520 521–529 530 531–541 542 543–549 550 A E 551–559 560 A F 561–569 570 571–579 580 A E 581–589 590 591 592 593–599 600–699 600 601 A L 602 A L 603 A L 604 605 606 607 608 609 610 611 612 613 614 615 616 617 618 619 620 621 A/B (I) B (II) 622 623 624 625 626 627 628 629 630 631 632 633 634 A B 635 636 637 638 639 640 641 642 643 644 645 646 647 648 A D P 649 A B C D E F L P 650 651 652 653 654 655 A (I) A (II) P 656 657 658 659 660 661 662 663 664 665 A (I) A (II) 666 A C/P 667 668 669 670 671 672 A M/P 673 674 675 676 677 678 679 680 681 D E 682 683 A J V 684 685 686 687 J P 688 689 690 691 C X Z 692 693 694 695 A B C L N P Q R S (I) S (II) 696 697 698 699 700–799 700–735 736 737 738 739 740 741 742 743 744 745 746–753 754 755–799 800–899 800 801 802 L (I) L (II) 803 804 805 806 807 808–816 817 818 819 820 821 822 823 824–831 832 833 834 835–845 846 847–899 900–999 900–951 952 853 854 855 956 957–967 968 Unknown or not assigned v t e Orbital launch systems List of orbital launch systems Comparison of orbital launch systems Current Angara 1.2 A5 Ariane 6 Atlas V Ceres 1 1S Chollima-1 Electron Falcon 9 Block 5 Falcon Heavy Firefly Alpha Gravity-1 GSLV H-IIA H3 Hyperbola-1 Jielong 1 3 KAIROS Kaituozhe 2 Kinetica 1 Kuaizhou 1 1A 11 Long March 2C 2D 2F 3A 3B/E 3C 4B 4C 5 5B 6 6A 7 7A 8 11 11H 12 LVM3 Minotaur I IV V C Nuri OS-M1 Pegasus XL Proton-M PSLV Qaem 100 Qased Shavit 2 Simorgh SLS Block 1 Soyuz-2 2.1a / STA 2.1b / STB 2-1v SSLV Starship Tianlong-2 Unha Vega C Vulcan Centaur Zhuque 2 In development Antares 330 Bloostar Cyclone-4M Deca Epsilon S Eris Gravity-2 Hyperbola-2 Irtysh Kuaizhou 21 31 Long March 9 10 Miura 5 MLV Neutron New Glenn New Line 1 NGLV Nova OS-M 2 4 Orbex Prime Pallas-1 Red Dwarf SLS Block 1B Block 2 Soyuz-7 Terran R Tianlong-3 VLM Vega E Zero Zhuque 3 Zuljanah Retired Antares 110 120 130 230 230+ Ariane 1 2 3 4 5 ASLV Athena I II Atlas B D E/F G H I II III LV-3B SLV-3 Able Agena Centaur Black Arrow Conestoga Delta A B C D E G J L M N 0100 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 II III IV IV Heavy Diamant Dnepr Energia Epsilon Europa I II Falcon 1 Falcon 9 v1.0 v1.1 v1.2 "Full Thrust" Feng Bao 1 GSLV Mk I H-I H-II H-IIB Juno I Juno II Kaituozhe-1 Kosmos original 1 2/2I 3 3M Lambda 4S LauncherOne Long March 1 1D 2A 2E 3 3B 4A Mu 4S 3C 3H 3S 3SII V N1 N-I N-II Naro-1 Paektusan Pilot-2 R-7 Luna Molniya M L Polyot Soyuz original FG L M U U2 Soyuz/Vostok Sputnik Voskhod Vostok L K 2 2M R-29 Shtil' Volna Rocket 3 RS1 Safir 1 1A 1B Saturn I IB V Scout X-1 Blue Scout II X-2 X-2M X-3 X-3M X-4 X-2B B A B-1 D-1 A-1 E-1 F-1 G-1 Shavit original 1 SLV Space Shuttle SPARK Sparta SS-520 Start-1 Terran 1 Thor Able Ablestar 1 2 Agena A B D Burner 1 2 Delta DSV-2U Thorad-Agena SLV-2G SLV-2H Titan II GLV IIIA IIIB IIIC IIID IIIE 34D 23G CT-3 IV Tsyklon R-36-O original 2 3 Universal Rocket UR-500 Proton Proton-K Rokot Strela Vanguard Vega original VLS-1 Zenit 2 2M 2FG 3SL 3SLB 3F Zhuque 1 Classes Sounding rocket Small-lift launch vehicle Medium-lift launch vehicle Heavy-lift launch vehicle Super heavy-lift launch vehicle This Template lists historical, current, and future space rockets that at least once attempted (but not necessarily succeeded in) an orbital launch or that are planned to attempt such a launch in the future Symbol indicates past or current rockets that attempted orbital launches but never succeeded (never did or has yet to perform a successful orbital launch) v t e Orbital launch systems developed in the United States Active Atlas V** Electron Falcon 9 Block 5 Falcon Heavy Firefly Alpha Minotaur I IV V C Pegasus XL SLS Block 1 Vulcan Centaur In development Antares 330 Daytona I MLV New Glenn Neutron Nova Red Dwarf SLS Block 1B Block 2 Starship Terran R Retired Antares 110/120/130/230/230+** Athena I II Atlas B D E/F G H I II III** LV-3B SLV-3 Able Agena Centaur Conestoga Delta A B C D E G J L M N 0100 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 II III IV IV Heavy Falcon 1 Falcon 9 v1.0 v1.1 v1.2 "Full Thrust" H-I* Juno I Juno II LauncherOne N-I* N-II* Pilot Rocket 3 RS1 Saturn I IB V Scout Space Shuttle SPARK Sparta Terran 1 Thor Able Ablestar Agena Burner Delta DSV-2U Thorad-Agena Titan II GLV IIIA IIIB IIIC IIID IIIE 34D 23G CT-3 IV Vanguard * - Japanese projects using US rockets or stages ** - uses Russian engines - never succeeded - no new orders accepted - used Ukrainian first stage v t e Rocket families Carrier rockets China Long March 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 11 12 Kuaizhou Europe / ESA Ariane Diamant Europa Vega Miura 1 5 India PSLV GSLV LVM3 Japan Epsilon H-II / H-IIA / H-IIB Mu Soviet Union / Russia Angara Kosmos N1 Proton R-7 Molniya Soyuz Vostok Universal Rocket Soviet Union / Ukraine Tsyklon Zenit United States Antares Athena Atlas Delta Electron Falcon 1 9 Heavy Jupiter Minotaur Pegasus Saturn Scout Titan Thor Other nations Safir Shavit Unha Sounding rockets Black Brant Lambda Rohini Rehbar Skylark Missiles Aggregat Agni Minuteman Peacekeeper Redstone R-7 Semyorka R-36 RS-82 Universal Rocket Some families include both missiles and carrier rockets; they are listed in both groups. v t e Project Mercury General NASA Space Task Group Space race Space flight Missions Crewed Suborbit: Freedom 7 Liberty Bell 7 Earth orbit: Friendship 7 Aurora 7 Sigma 7 Faith 7 Cancelled: Freedom 7 II Uncrewed Little Joe 1 Big Joe 1 LJ-6 LJ-1A LJ-2 LJ-1B Beach Abort MA-1 Little Joe 5 MR-1 MR-1A MR-2 MA-2 LJ-5A MR-BD MA-3 LJ-5B MA-4 MS-1 MA-5 Flown non-human Sam Miss Sam Suborbit: Ham Earth orbit: Enos Astronauts General Mercury Seven In order of flight Suborbit: Alan Shepard Gus Grissom Earth orbit: John Glenn Scott Carpenter Wally Schirra Gordon Cooper Did not fly: Deke Slayton Equipment Navy Mark IV (space suit) Subprograms Mercury-Atlas Mercury-Redstone Mercury-Scout Mercury-Jupiter (canceled) Contractors McDonnell Aircraft Corporation (spacecraft) Convair (Atlas rocket) Chrysler (Redstone rocket) North American Aviation (Little Joe rocket) Rockets Atlas Redstone Blue Scout II Little Joe Jupiter (proposed) Launch sites and Control Center Wallops Island / Wallops Flight Facility Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Launch Complex 5 Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Launch Complex 14 Mercury Control Center Related programs US Gemini (successor program) Apollo (lunar program) Soviet Vostok (rival in space race) Related Manned Space Flight Network Mercury spacesuit Astronaut Wives Club Mercury 13 (non-NASA project inspired by Project Mercury)

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