Skua is the designation of a British sounding rocket which was launched between 1959 and 1981 in four versions over 300 times. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] The Skua was developed by Bristol Aerojet and RPE Wescott. [1]
It consisted of a starting stage made up of several Chick rockets (like the Petrel) that burned for 0.2 seconds. [1] They propelled the rocket 20 metres over the 5-metre-long launch tube. [1] [8] After that, the Bantam main stage ignited.
The fastest Jet stream velocity ever measured (656 km/h or 408 mph) was recorded by instruments on board a Skua rocket above South Uist, Outer Hebrides, Scotland at an altitude of 47,000 m (154,200 ft), on 13 December 1967. [9]
There were four versions of the Skua rocket: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]
Version | First Stage | Second Stage | Payload (kg) | Apogee (km) | Thrust (kN) | Weight (kg) | Diameter (m) | Length (m) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Skua 1 | 3 x Chick | Bantam | 5 | 70 | 20 | 58 | 0.13 | 2.21 |
Skua 2 | 4 x Chick | extended Bantam | 5 | 100 | 27 | 68 | 0.13 | 2.42 |
Skua 3 | 4 x Chick | extended Bantam | 5 | 120 | 27 | 75 | 0.13 | 2.80 |
Skua 4 | 4 x Chick | improved Bantam | 7.5 | 140 | 27 | 83 | 0.13 | 2.80 |