Sonda (rocket)
Sonda ("Probe" in English) is a family of Brazilian-built sounding rockets which serves as an R&D path to the VLS (Portuguese: Veículo Lançador de Satélites) orbital rocket. Launches started in 1965 and continue to this day. Launch sites include Wallops Island, Andoya, Kiruna, Natal, Alcântara, Cassino and SvalRak.[1][2][3]
Sonda I
The Sonda I is a two stage rocket (S10-1 + S-10-2 rocket stages) with a maximum flight altitude of 65 km, a liftoff thrust of 27 kN a total mass of 100 kg, a diameter of 11 cm and a length of 4.5 metres. It was launched 9 times between 1965 and 1966.[4]
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Diagram with Sonda I rocket dimensions -
Sonda I on display -
Sonda 1 (right) at Memorial Aeroespacial Brasileiro
Sonda II
The Sonda II is a single stage rocket (S-20 rocket stage) with a maximum flight altitude of 180 km, a Liftoff Thrust of 36.00 kN, a total mass of 400 kg, a core Diameter of 0.30 m and a total Length of 5.60 m. It was launched 7 times between 1990 and 1996.[5]
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Diagram with Sonda II rocket dimensions -
Sonda II at Memorial Aeroespacial Brasileiro -
Sonda II at Memorial Aeroespacial Brasileiro -
Sonda II on display -
Sonda II on display -
Sonda II at Parque Santos Dumont
Sonda III
Sonda III is a two stage rocket available in three versions, the Sonda III (S30 + S-20 rocket stages), the Sonda III M1 (S30 + S-23 rocket stages) and the Sonda IIIA (S30 + S33 rocket stages).[6] The first two versions rockets have a maximum flight altitude of 600 km, a liftoff Thrust of 102.00 kN, a diameter of 0.30 m and a length of 8.00 m. However Sonda 3 weighs 1500 kg while Sonda 3 M1 weighs 1400 kg at launch. It was launched 27 times between 1976 and 2002.[7]
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Diagram with Sonda III rocket dimensions -
Sonda III rocket variations -
Sonda III at Memorial Aeroespacial Brasileiro -
Sonda III at Memorial Aeroespacial Brasileiro -
Sonda III at Barreira do Inferno -
Sonda III on display -
Sonda III at Parque Santos Dumont
Sonda IV
Sonda IV is a two stage rocket (S30 + S-43 rocket stages) with a maximum flight altitude of 800 km, a liftoff Thrust of 203.00 kN, a total Mass of 7200 kg, a diameter of 1.01 m and a length of 11.00 m. It was launched 7 times between 1984 and 1990.[8]
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Diagram with Sonda IV rocket dimensions -
Sonda IV at Memorial Aeroespacial Brasileiro -
Sonda IV at Memorial Aeroespacial Brasileiro -
Sonda IV on display -
Sonda IV on display -
Sonda IV at Parque Santos Dumont -
Sonda IV on pad
References
- ^ "Sonda". August 24, 2015. Archived from the original on 2015-08-24.
- ^ "The Brazilian Sounding Rocket VSB-30: meeting the Brazilian Space Program and COPUOS objectives" (PDF). Retrieved November 8, 2022.
- ^ "NASA SOUNDING ROCKET RESURGENGE 1965-1968". history.nasa.gov. Retrieved 2019-11-13.
- ^ "Sonda 1". August 24, 2015. Archived from the original on 2015-08-24.
- ^ "Sonda 2". August 24, 2015. Archived from the original on 2015-08-24.
- ^ "Sonda III".
- ^ "Sonda 3". August 24, 2015. Archived from the original on 2015-08-24.
- ^ "Sonda 4". www.astronautix.com. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016.
External links
- The Brazilian Sounding Rocket VSB-30: meeting the Brazilian Space Program and COPUOS objectives
- Sonda rocket family
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