Falstaff (rocket)

Falstaff

Function Research rocket
Country of origin United Kingdom
Size
Height 5.3 m (17 ft)
Diameter 92 cm (36 in)
Mass 5,090 kilograms (11,220 lb)
Stages 1
Capacity
Payload to
Launch history
Status Retired
Launch sites Woomera Test Range
Total launches 8
Successes 7
Failures 1
First flight 1 October 1969
Last flight 4 April 1979
Notable payloads Penetration Aids Carrier (PAC)
Stage
Thrust 240 kilonewtons (54,000 lbf)
Burn time 37 seconds
Fuel
For other uses, see Falstaff (disambiguation).

Falstaff was a British sounding rocket used during the 1970s as part of the Chevaline programme to improve the penetrability of the Polaris nuclear missile. It was the largest UK rocket with a solid booster ever launched.

Polaris

The Falstaff was part of the Chevaline programme to improve the Polaris programme.[1][2] The Penetration Aids Carrier (PAC) was capable of maneuvering a Falstaff rocket and dispensing missiles.[2] According to John Pitfield, the PAC was launched in 1969, 1975, 1976 and 1978.[2]

Since the Australian government at the time was not in favour of nuclear weapons, the testing of the Falstaff vehicles on Australian soil had the potential to cause embarrassment. The details of over 4000 launches from the Woomera Range are still not fully released.[2]

Before the revelation that the Falstaff rockets were part of a nuclear program, anti-nuclear campaigners in Australia had believed that testing ended in 1963.[1][2]

Design

The Falstaff with the Stonechat Mk 2 booster was 5.3 m (17 ft) long and had a diameter of 92 cm (36 in). It weighed 5.09 tonnes (5.01 long tons; 5.61 short tons) of which 4.34 tonnes (4.27 long tons; 4.78 short tons) was solid propellant.[3] It delivered an average thrust of 240 kilonewtons (54,000 lbf) during 37 seconds.[3]

A launch on 1 October 1969 used the Stonechat Mk 1 booster.[3]

Launches

The Falstaff was launched eight times between 1969 and 1979 at Woomera, Australia, seven of which were the Mk 2 variant.[3] There was one failure, on 23 April 1978.[3][4] All the launches were from the Woomera Test Range in Australia,[3] 500 kilometres (310 mi) north-west of Adelaide.

Date Site Vehicle Result
1 October 1969 WOO Mk.I S
9 May 1975 WOO Mk.II F0 S
19 February 1976 WOO Mk.II F0 1 S
23 May 1978 WOO Mk.II F1 VF
15 September 1978 WOO Mk.II F2 S
5 December 1978 WOO Mk.II F3 S
14 February 1979 WOO Mk.II F4 S
4 April 1979 WOO Mk.II F5 S

"S" denotes a successful launch, "VF" denotes a vehicle failure.[3]

Commemoration

The Falstaff rocket was commemorated in an event cover that depicted a rocket recognisable as a Falstaff. 5 December 1978 was commemorated in such a way.[5]

References

  1. 1 2 "Secret nuclear testing at Woomera". ABC. 2 April 2002. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 O'Connell, Sanjida; Patrick, Barkham (1 April 2002). "Australia used for secret tests of UK ballistic missile". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Falstaff vehicles". sat-net.com. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
  4. "Falstaff". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  5. "F3 6 Dec 1978 Falstaff 3 launch from Woomera (ACFF/227)". Steve Irwin Stamps. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
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