Altair (rocket stage) - Misplaced Pages

(Redirected from X-248 Altair) Solid-fuel rocket

The Altair was a solid-fuel rocket with a fiberglass casing, initially developed for use as the third stage of Vanguard rockets in 1959. It was manufactured by Allegany Ballistics Laboratory (ABL) as the X-248. It was also sometimes called the Burner 1.

Altair

The X-248 was one of two third-stage designs used during Project Vanguard. Early launches used a stage developed by the Grand Central Rocket Company, but the last used the X-248 which enabled the Vanguard to launch more massive payload.

The X-248 was used as the second stage of some early Thor flights. These vehicles were designated "Thor-Burner".

Altairs were used as the third stage of early Delta rockets.

The fourth stage of the Scout-X rocket used the "Altair-1A" stage, powered by a X-248A engine.

Altair 2

The Altair 2 (X-258) Thiokol (Star 25, TE-M-184-3) solid rocket engine first flew in 1963 and was the kick stage motor for Delta D, Scout A, Scout X-4, and Atlas-D OV1 as part of the Orbiting Vehicle satellites. It was retired in 1973.

Altair 3

The Altair 3 (FW-4S) solid rocket engine first flew in 1968 and was used on the Atlas-E/F OV1 as part of the OV1 upper stage. It was also used as the second stage of the ASM-135 ASAT anti-satellite missile. It as proposed as the fourth stage for Advanced Scout. The FW-4S motor is similar to Thiokol Star 20 (TE-M-640), and both are designated by NASA as Altair IIIA.

References

Launius, Roger D.; Dennis R. Jenkins (2002). To Reach the High Frontier: A History of U.S. Launch Vehicles. University Press of Kentucky. pp. 186–213. ISBN 0813127211.
"Altair 1". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 2024-10-06.
"Scout X-1". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 2024-10-06.
"Altair 1A". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 2024-10-06.
Heyman, Jos (2005-04-12). "OV". Directory of U.S. Military Rockets and Missiles. Designation Systems. Retrieved 2009-05-17.
"Atlas-D OV1". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2024-10-07.
Wade, Mark. "Altair 2". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on December 28, 2016. Retrieved 19 Nov 2019.
"Atlas-E/-F OV1". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2024-10-07.
"F-15 ASAT – Eagle Country". Retrieved 2024-10-07.
"Advanced Scout". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 2024-10-07.
Merryman; Smith (December 1974). PERFORMANCE OF A UTC FW-4S SOLID-PROPELLANT ROCKET MOTOR UNDER THE COMBINED EFFECTS OF SIMULATED ALTITUDE AND ROTATIONAL SPIN (PDF). NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION (LRC). p. 5.

v t e Upper stages
Active	AVUM Briz Castor 30 Centaur CTS / SMA DCSS DM-03 Fregat Star 27 / 37 / 48 Volga Yuanzheng
Planned	Advanced Cryogenic Evolved Stage Exploration Upper Stage KVTK
Retired	Agena Able Altair Astris Blok 2BL Blok D Burner Delta-D Delta-K Delta-P EPKM FG-02 Ikar Inertial Upper Stage KVD-1 Payload Assist Module Saturn IV Saturn IVB Transfer Orbit Stage Transtage

v t e Non-military suborbital rocket engines and motors that have flown
Liquid fuel engines	Aerobee BE-3 Gamma 201 Ofen-B WAC Corporal XLR10 XLR99
Hybrid propellant engines	RocketMotorOne RocketMotorTwo
Solid propellant motors	1.5KS35000 Algol Altair Alcor Asp Black Brant Castor Cuckoo Genius Goldfinch Gosling Heron Improved Orion Malemute Orion Raven Oriole Rohini S-20 S-30 S-31 S40TM S44M S-310 S-520 Talos Terrier X-254
Related articles	Sounding rocket Sub-orbital spaceflight Sub-orbital tourism

Rocket engines and solid motors for orbital launch vehicles

Comparison of orbital rocket engines

Liquid
fuel

Cryogenic

Hydrolox (LH₂ / LOX)	China YF-73 YF-75 YF-75D YF-77 YF-79 YF-90 Europe HM7B Vinci Vulcain India CE-7.5 CE-20 Japan LE-5 LE-7 LE-9 Russia KVD-1 (RD-56) RD-0120 RD-0146 United States BE-3U BE-7 J-2 RL10 RS-25 RS-68
Methalox (CH₄ / LOX)	China BF-20 Lingyun Longyun TQ-11 TQ-12 TQ-15A YF-209 YF-215 United States BE-4 Raptor Archimedes Aeon 1 Aeon R Russia RD-0169 Europe Prometheus M-10