Lightweights

You are here: Homepage > Search

Lightweights

Harland, David M. / Dr Lorenz, Ralph D.

Abstract In 1955 the Royal Air Force awarded a contract to de Havilland Aircraft to develop the Blue Streak single-stage missile powered by a pair of two-chamber Rolls Royce engines using kerosene and oxygen. Despite performing well in tests, and on schedule for service by 1965, it was cancelled in April 1960 when the British government decided to buy the Skybolt air-launched ballistic missile that was under development for the US Air Force. When the Skybolt was cancelled, the British transferred their interest to the submarine-launched Polaris. The European Space Research Organisation was established in 1962 to pursue collaborative projects. When the European Launcher Development Organisation was formed in 1964 to develop the Europa launch vehicle, the Blue Streak was selected as the first stage because it was by far the most powerful liquid rocket available, and work began to develop a French second stage and a German third stage. Unfortunately, this project was plagued with difficulties, and eventually cancelled. In parallel, the Royal Aircraft Establishment was given the go-ahead to develop a small launcher named Black Arrow as a derivative of the Black Knight, the two-stage rocket built to test materials for the re-entry vehicle of the Blue Streak, which had flown 22 times without a failure.1 The rationale was that this project would keep Britain in the launcher business at a low level. The budget was so tight — only £9 million — that the engines were refined in ground trials rather than by development flights.2