Malemute

Launch of Terrier Improved Malemute from the Wallops Flight Facility

Malemute is the designation of an American sounding rocket family.[1] The original Malemute had a maximum flight altitude of 165 km, a liftoff thrust of 57.00 kN, a total mass of 100 kg, a diameter of 0.41 m and a total length of 2.40 m.[1] It was a single stage vehicle powered by a Thiokol Malemute TU-758 engine, [1] operated by Sandia National Laboratories (SNL).[1]

It was used for used for conducting upper atmosphere research in various missions to study phenomena such as auroras, ionosphere and cosmic radiation. Over the years more advanced versions were developed.[2][3][4]

Versions

[edit]

Improved versions exist, with the addition of a second stages and using different first stage engines.[2][3][5][6][7][8]

Version First Stage Second Stage
Malemute[1] TU-758 -
Malemute-2 TU-758 -
Improved Malemute (PAAT)[3] TX-486-1 -
Improved Malemute Improved Malemute (IM/IM) TX-486-1 TX-486-1
Improved Malemute Improved Orion (IM/IO) TX-486-1 M112
29. Terrier-Malemute[7] Terrier mk.12 TU-758
46. Terrier-imp. Malemute[8][5] Terrier mk.70 TX-486-1
S31

Improved Malemute (S31/IM)

S31 TX-486-1
Red Kite (RK/IM)

Improved Malemute

RK TX-486-1

Launches

[edit]

Malemute rockets were launched from Andøya Space Center, ESRANGE, Kauai Test Facility, Tonopah Test Range and White Sands Missile Range.[2]

Date Rocket Version Launch Site Mission
22.07.1976 Malemute Tonopah Test Range Sandia 497-006
24.07.1976 Malemute Tonopah Test Range Sandia 497-007
19.04.1979 Malemute-2 Tonopah Test Range Sandia 497-009
01.07.1999 Malemute-2 Kauai Test Facility TMBD Target (Slugger)
30.06.2016 Improved Malemute Andøya Space Center MaxiDusty 1 (IM QUAL 1)
08.07.2016 Improved Malemute Andøya Space Center MaxiDusty 1B (IM QUAL 2)
13.04.2018 Improved Malemute Andøya Space Center PMWE 1
13.04.2018 Improved Malemute Andøya Space Center PMWE 2
20.02.2020 Improved Malemute ESRANGE SPIDER 2
24.05.2021 Improved Malemute Improved Malemute ESRANGE MAPHEUS 11
12.08.2021 Improved Malemute White Sands Missile Range ET-2 (Economical Target 2)
07.09.2021 Improved Malemute White Sands Missile Range ET-2 (Economical Target 2)
01.10.2021 Improved Malemute Andøya Space Center PMWE 3
01.10.2021 Improved Malemute Andøya Space Center PMWE 4
06.12.2021 Improved Malemute Improved Malemute ESRANGE MAPHEUS 10
29.01.2022 Improved Malemute Improved Malemute ESRANGE MAPHEUS 9
21.10.2022 Improved Malemute Improved Malemute ESRANGE MAPHEUS 12
23.03.2023 Improved Malemute Improved Orion ESRANGE BROR
22.05.2023 Improved Malemute Improved Malemute ESRANGE MAPHEUS 13

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e "Malemute". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
  2. ^ a b c "Malemute". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
  3. ^ a b c "Imp. Malemute". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
  4. ^ Koehler, Keith; NASA. "NASA completes investigation of July 2014 Terrier-Improved Malemute sounding rocket failure". phys.org. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  5. ^ a b "NASA Types of Sounding Rockets". NASA.gov/Types of Sounding Rockets.
  6. ^ "DLR MoRaBa, mission calendar". DLR MoRaBa.
  7. ^ a b "Terrier Malemute". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  8. ^ a b "Terrier Improved Malemute". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 2024-03-19.