MASER is a sounding rocket that is used in the MASER microgravity research rocket programme, operated by the Swedish Space Corporation (SSC). The main customer is the European Space Agency ( ESA), particularly the EMIR and ELIPS programmes. MASER stands for "MAterials Science Experiment Rocket".
The launches take place at Esrange in Northern Sweden. Throughout its´ sub-orbital flight, the programme offers 6–7 minutes of microgravity aboard the rocket and full recovery of experimental modules with helicopter immediately after flight.
Mission | Date | Launch site | Motor | Apogee | Payload | Modules | Comments | Reference report |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MASER 1 | 1987 Mar 19 | Esrange | Black Brant 9B | 295 km | ||||
MASER 2 | 1988 Feb 29 | Esrange | Black Brant 9C | 318 km | ||||
MASER 3 | 1989 Apr 10 | Esrange | Black Brant 9C | 297 km | CIS-1, TEM 06-15 | [1] | ||
MASER 4 | 1990 Mar 29 | Esrange | Black Brant 9B | 317 km | CIS-2 | [1] | ||
MASER 5 | 1992 Apr 9 | Esrange | Black Brant 9 | 309 km | CIS-3 | [1] | ||
MASER 6 | 1993 Nov 4 | Esrange | Skylark 7 | 243 km | 372 kg | 5/ ESA | Esrange EKMA93-12 | |
MASER 7 | 1996 May 3 | Esrange | Skylark 7 | 252 km | 355 kg | 4/ ESA | Esrange EUK113-9616 | |
MASER 8 | 1999 May 14 | Esrange | Skylark 7 | 260 km | 334 kg | 4/ ESA | Esrange SUM8251-D18 | |
MASER 9 | 2002 Mar 16 | Esrange | Skylark 7 | 258 km | 347 kg | 3/ ESA | Esrange SUM92-S14 | |
MASER 10 | 2005 May 2 | Esrange | Skylark 7 | 252 km | 350 kg | 4/ ESA | 441st and final Skylark | Esrange SUM1025-S8 |
MASER 11 | 2008 May 15 | Esrange | VSB-30 | 252 km | 383 kg | 5/ ESA | Esrange EUK175-E60 | |
MASER 12 | 2012 Feb 13 | Esrange | VSB-30 | 250 km | 390 kg | [2] | ||
MASER 13 | 2015 Dec 1 | Esrange | VSB-30 | 260 km | 277 kg | [3] | ||
MASER 14 | 2019 Jun 24 | Esrange | VSB-30 | 260 km | 400 kg | MASER 14 | ||
MASER 15 | 2022 Nov 23 | Esrange | VSB-30 | 260 km | 270 kg |
As humans subjected to weightlessness or microgravity undergo physiological changes, [4] there is an increasing interest in biological research. Aside from the material science aspect being investigated aboard the MASER13-15 rockets, biological modules aim to fulfill this purpose and elucidate this side of space-related research. [5]