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Blue Scout II

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AKA: Blue Scout 2; XRM-90. Status: Retired 1961. First Launch: 1961-03-03. Last Launch: 1961-11-01. Number: 3 . Payload: 30 kg (66 lb). Thrust: 511.50 kN (114,990 lbf). Gross mass: 16,874 kg (37,200 lb). Height: 24.00 m (78.00 ft). Diameter: 1.02 m (3.34 ft). Apogee: 300 km (180 mi).

The Blue Scout 2 used the same stages as the basic NASA, except the fourth stage was fitted to the payload under a fairing of the same diameter as the third stage, and the first stage nozzle used a flared tail skirt between the fins. After three launches in 1961, the vehicle was abandoned by the Air Force in favor of the Blue Scout Junior.

LEO Payload: 30 kg (66 lb) to a 300 km orbit at 28.00 degrees.

Stage Data - Blue Scout 2

• Stage 1. 1 x Algol 1. Gross Mass: 10,705 kg (23,600 lb). Empty Mass: 1,900 kg (4,100 lb). Thrust (vac): 470.934 kN (105,870 lbf). Isp: 236 sec. Burn time: 40 sec. Isp(sl): 214 sec. Diameter: 1.01 m (3.31 ft). Span: 1.01 m (3.31 ft). Length: 9.12 m (29.92 ft). Propellants: Solid. No Engines: 1. Engine: Algol 1. Other designations: Senior. Status: Out of Production. This rocket started as a Polaris test motor with a 40 inch diameter, which at the time was the largest solid motor ever tested. It had a nominal performance rating of 45 seconds duration and 45,000 kgf thrust. Variations included Algol I, I-D, II, II-A, II-B and possibly others. Another popular rating was 40KS-115,000 (52,000 kgf for 40 seconds), also known as Senior.

• Stage 2. 1 x Castor 2. Gross Mass: 4,424 kg (9,753 lb). Empty Mass: 695 kg (1,532 lb). Thrust (vac): 258.915 kN (58,206 lbf). Isp: 262 sec. Burn time: 37 sec. Isp(sl): 232 sec. Diameter: 0.79 m (2.59 ft). Span: 0.79 m (2.59 ft). Length: 6.04 m (19.81 ft). Propellants: Solid. No Engines: 1. Engine: TX-354-3. Status: In Production.

• Stage 3. 1 x Antares 1A. Gross Mass: 1,225 kg (2,700 lb). Empty Mass: 294 kg (648 lb). Thrust (vac): 60.497 kN (13,600 lbf). Isp: 256 sec. Burn time: 39 sec. Isp(sl): 233 sec. Diameter: 0.78 m (2.55 ft). Span: 0.78 m (2.55 ft). Length: 3.38 m (11.08 ft). Propellants: Solid. No Engines: 1. Engine: X-254. Status: Out of Production.

• Stage 4. 1 x Altair 1. Gross Mass: 238 kg (524 lb). Empty Mass: 30 kg (66 lb). Thrust (vac): 12.450 kN (2,799 lbf). Isp: 256 sec. Burn time: 38 sec. Isp(sl): 233 sec. Diameter: 0.46 m (1.50 ft). Span: 0.46 m (1.50 ft). Length: 1.83 m (6.00 ft). Propellants: Solid. No Engines: 1. Engine: X-248. Status: Out of Production.

Historical Essay � Andreas Parsch

Ford RM-90 Blue Scout II

The XRM-90 Blue Scout II was a rocket of the U.S. Air Force's System 609A Blue Scout family (for general information on Blue Scout, see article on RM-89 Blue Scout I). The XRM-90 was a four-stage rocket, which used the same stages as the basic NASA Scout. It was nevertheless not identical to the latter, because the 4th stage was hidden in a payload fairing with the same diameter as the 3rd stage, and the first stage nozzle used a flared tail skirt between the fins. Externally, the XRM-90 was indistinguishable from the XRM-89 Blue Scout I.

The first XRM-90 launch occurred on 3 March 1961, followed by a second one on 12 April 1961. Both sub-orbital flights were successful, and measured radiation levels in the Van Allen belts. The second Blue Scout II also carried a micrometeorite sampling experiment, but the recovery of the reentry capsule failed. The third XRM-90 was used by NASA in November 1961 in an attempt to launch a communications payload for Project Mercury into orbit, but this rocket failed. The USAF subsequently abandoned the XRM-89 Blue Scout I and XRM-90 Blue Scout II vehicles, and shifted to the RM-91-SLV-1B Blue Scout Junior instead.

Note: Data given by several sources show slight variations. Figures given below may therefore be inaccurate!

Data for XRM-90:

[1] Peter Alway: "Rockets of the World, 2000 Supplement", Saturn Press, 2000
[2] Norman J. Bowman: "The Handbook of Rockets and Guided Missiles", Perastadion Press, 1963
[3] Mark Wade: Encyclopedia Astronautica

Family: all-solid, orbital launch vehicle. Country: USA. Spacecraft: Mercury, Radio Test Spacecraft. Launch Sites: Cape Canaveral, Cape Canaveral LC18B. Stages: Algol 1, Altair 1, Antares 1A, Castor 2. Agency: Vought. More at: 8191.

• HETS A2-1 Plasma mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 2,540 km (1,570 mi).

• HETS A2-2 Plasma mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 1,931 km (1,199 mi).

• Mercury MS-1 - . Payload: Radio Test Spacecraft. Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Program: Mercury. Class: Technology. Type: Tracking network technology satellite. Spacecraft Bus: Radio Test Spacecraft. Spacecraft: Radio Test Spacecraft.

  Small satellite was to have verified the readiness of the worldwide Mercury tracking network. An attempt was made to launch Mercury-Scout 1 (MS-1) into orbit with a communications package further to qualify the radar tracking of the Mercury global network prior to manned orbital flight. Shortly after lift-off, the launch vehicle developed erratic motions and attending high aerodynamic loads, and was destroyed by the Range Safety Officer after 43 seconds of flight. No further attempts were planned. The Mercury-Atlas 4 (MA-4) mission and the successful Mercury-Atlas 5 (MA-5), flown on November 29, 1961, disclosed that the network met all requirements.