Swedish Sounding Rocket Projects

Paper number

IAC-06-E4.3.02

Author

Dr. Ake Ingemar Skoog, Germany

Year

2006

Abstract

The International Geophysical Year (IGY) in 1957-58 triggered a worldwide research of the upper atmosphere and lower space. A few nations were in the position to be able to develop and launch low earth orbit satellites, but most ‘smaller’ space nations concentrated the research activities to the use of sounding rockets. 

In 1959 the new Swedish Committee on Space Research had defined a number of scientific research fields for a future national space research programme with sounding rockets. To fulfil these objectives a group of rocket specialists from industry and military research institutions formed a working group within the Swedish Interplanetary Society (one of the founding societies of IAF in 1950) to analyse the possibilities of a Swedish sounding rocket development. Based on existing military liquid and solid propellant engines the first sounding rocket AURORA was proposed. All together three types, HR-1, HR-2 and HR-3, were projected using different combinations of the already existing liquid rocket engine VR-3 and solid propellant KR-16. The largest version was a two-stage high altitude sounding rocket with a liquid first stage with four solid boosters, and a solid propellant second stage for 5 – 25 kg and altitudes of 300-400 km. The second version was a single stage liquid propellant rocket and the third one a two stage solid-solid version. A detailed programme planning and cost analysis was also performed. But in late 1960 the Swedish Committee on Space Research signed an agreement with NASA for a joint upper atmosphere research programme using US sounding rocket systems.

Svenska Flygmotor started research on hybrid rocket engines in the early 1960’s, out of which grow a family of hybrid engines, HR-1 to HR-4, using the solid fuel ‘Tagaform’ developed by Flygmotor and the oxidizer fuming nitric acid. Two test rockets HR-3F using the HR-4 engine were launched and recovered in late 1965. This was one of the very earliest flights of a hybrid engine propelled rocket. 

Based on the results of the HR-programme Flygmotor in 1969 proposed the medium-sized SR-1 and large SR-2 sounding rockets for payloads of 25-100 kg to altitudes of 200-300 km.  These rockets were attitude controlled for use at smaller launch ranges. Again a hybrid propellant, the slightly modified ‘Sagaform’, and red fuming nitric acid as oxidizer were used. A first flight test with the SR-1 was performed in 1971.

Abstract document

IAC-06-E4.3.02.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-06-E4.3.02.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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