Viking rocket (HASR-2)

• American sounding rocket. The Viking sounding rocket, originally code-named Neptune, was conceived in 1945 by the US Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) as having the same altitude capability as the V-2 but only one third the mass.
• Launches: 12 suborbital (4 failures - success rate= 75%)
• Payload= 230 kg (500 lb) to a 200 km altitude.

History:

Viking 1

Launch of Viking 2

Viking (HASR-2) drawing

• In 1946 the US Navy's NRL (Naval Research Laboratory) launched the study of a high performance sounding rocket named HASR-2 (High Altitude Sounding Rocket) to replace the V2s. This leaded to the developement of the Neptune rocket, later renamed Viking. The Glenn L. Martin company was contacted to built 10 rockets, 4 were reordered later.
• The Viking propulsion was granted to Reaction Motors which already produced the Bell X1 rocket-plane. The new motor was feed with alcohol and liquid oxygen by turbopomps. It provided 91.5 kN thrust. Named XLR-10 this motor was a high technology one at the time because it used regenerating cooling system and a deployable nozzle. The rocket also had integral tanks to lighten the structure and a 3-axis stabilization with little nozzles around the it to orient it after the shutdown of the main engine.
• There are 2 generations in the Viking series: the models 1 to 7 that were 81 cm diameter and models 8 to 14 (shorter) that were 114 cm diameter. The heights were ranging from 14.8 m to 12.8 m and the takeoff weights were between 4.37 tons and 6.81 tons. Between May 1949 and May 1959 only one failure occured with Viking-8.
• The first Viking was flown at White Sands on May 03, 1949. Twelve Vikings were built, each differing from the one before. Ten of these rockets were fired at White Sands for upper air research. Viking #4 was fired at sea near Christmas Island in the Pacific from the USS Norton Sound. Viking #8 was never flight tested -- it broke free from its restraining bolts during a pre-flight static test of its rocket engine prior to its test flight.
• Viking #11 was fired at White Sands on May 24, 1954 and soared to an altitude of 158 miles and attained a speed of 4,000 miles per hour.
• In its final configuration, Viking was 45 feet long and 45 inches in diameter. The major structural material was aluminum. It was powered by a liquid propellant rocket engine producing 20,000 pounds of thrust using liquid oxygen and alcohol. Like the V-2, peroxide was decomposed to provide steam for operating its propellant turbo-pump. It was capable of carrying more than 1,000 pounds of instruments to an altitude of at least 150 miles.
• Vikings #13 and #14 were integrated into the Vanguard earth satellite program in late 1955. The two rockets were fired at Patrick AFB as test rockets for the program.

Technical Data:

Launch List:

Flight times, Motor thrust, Weights (Vikings 1 through 12):

Note:

• Flight #1: When flown, turbine leaks caused an early shut down. Apogee at 164 secs.
• Flight #2: Again leaks from the turbine unit resulted in a engine shut down early. Reached apogee at 133 sec.
• Flight #3: Good lift-off but an increasing sideways drift led to a premature cut off. Apogee reached at 169 seconds.
• Flight #4: Fired from the USS Norton Sound stationed at 00° 11.2′N, 161° 25′W, 60 miles South of Christmas Island at the geomagnetic equator. Successful flight with apogee at 242 seconds.
• Flight #5: Successful flight using lower thrust setting on engine. Reached apogee 248 seconds after launch.
• Flight #6: Night firing, but near end of burn the fins failed. Peaked at 145 seconds.
• Flight #7: Set altitude record for single stage rocket in successful flight which reached apogee at 266 sec.
• Flight #8: Broke away from static test stand while testing engine. Rocket only held down by two bolts, after this four were always used. Climbed slowly turning over at about 5 seconds, then falling under power for 11 more seconds and crashing at 5 miles range. First of larger diameter rockets.
• Flight #9: Perfect flight with apogee reached 287 seconds after launch.
• Flight #10: Re-built rocket after its original engine exploded during static test. Perfect flight with apogee reached at 290 secs and impact at 595 seconds.
• Flight #11: New record altitude for single stage rocket. Engine stopped at 40 miles on way to apogee at 309 seconds, and impact 557 seconds after launch.
• Flight #12: Perfect flight with apogee reached 299 seconds into the flight.
• Flight #13: VANGUARD-TV-0 vehicle tested the "Minitrack" radio telemetry system to be used in the VANGUARD satellite launcher, which separated in the nose cone 50 miles altitude on the ascent. Impact at 183 miles range.
• Flight #14: VANGUARD-TV-1. Separation and test firing of X-248 solid motor to be used as the VANGUARD 3rd stage. Final speed not known but impact of upper stage was at 450 miles down the Atlantic Missile Range.

External links:

• PostwarV2: Rocket Information