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
editThe 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
editThe Sonda II is a single stage rocket (S-20 rocket stage) with a maximum flight altitude of 180 km, a liftoff thrust of 36 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
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Sonda III
editSonda 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 kN, a diameter of 0.30 m and a length of 8 m. However Sonda III weighs 1500 kg while Sonda III 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
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Sonda IV
editSonda 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 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
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References
edit- ^ Wade (August 24, 2015). "Sonda". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 2015-08-24.
- ^ Lucca, Eduardo Viegas Dalle (February 2014). The Brazilian Sounding Rocket VSB-30: meeting the Brazilian Space Program and COPUOS objectives (PDF). DEPARTMENT OF AEROSPACE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY.
- ^ Corliss, William R. (1971). "Sounding Rocket Resurgence, 1965-1968". NASA SOUNDING ROCKETS, 1958-1968 A Historical Summary (NASA SP-4401). NASA. pp. 61–74. LCCN 70-169175.
- ^ Wade (August 24, 2015). "Sonda 1". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 2015-08-24.
- ^ Wade (August 24, 2015). "Sonda 2". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 2015-08-24.
- ^ "SONDA III". Agência Espacial Brasileira (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2024-04-16.
- ^ Wade (August 24, 2015). "Sonda 3". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 2015-08-24.
- ^ Wade (2016-03-03). "Sonda 4". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2024-04-16.