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Blue Scout Junior at Complex
18, Pad A |
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Blue Scout Junior was part of the Blue Scout family. The Blue Scout program
was an Air Force (hence the "Blue") variant of NASA's Scout rocket. The smallest
of the Blue Scout family was the XRM-91 Blue Scout Junior, a four-stage,
unguided research rocket. Though it lacked guidance equipment (gyros, etc.), the
Blue Scout Junior was spin stabilized through the use of small spin rockets on the second
stage. As you can see in the photo, the Blue Scout Junior was launched from a
beam (the same design was used to launch U.S. Army Sergeant missiles) rather
than a launch stand. As it evolved, the Blue Scout Junior was used well into
the 1970's. After Complex 18 was deactivated, Blue Scout Junior was launched
from Vandenberg AFB, Kwajalein, and other sites.
Blue Scout Jr. specifications
and performance |
Length |
40 ft., 5.8 in. |
Diameter |
31 in. |
Stage |
Stage name |
Engine(s) |
Propellant(s) |
Thrust |
1 |
Castor |
1 Thiokol XM33 |
Solid |
58,300 lbs. |
2 |
Antares |
1 Hercules X-254 |
Solid |
13,600 lbs. |
3 |
Alcor |
1 Aerojet AJ10-41 |
Solid |
8,000 lbs. |
4 |
Cetus |
1 NOTS 100A |
Solid |
900 lbs. |
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