Tacite french sounding rocket.
Tacite sounding rocket scheme.
Tacite (fifth rocket) as part of the Onera sounding rocket family.

The inaugural member of ONERA sounding rockets fleet, the Tacite (Tentative d'Analyse du Contraste Infrarouge Terre-Espace, for Attempt to Analyze the Earth-Space Infrared Contrast), was a single-stage vehicle, used between 1965 and 1968.[1][2][3][4]

Description

Designed and developed by the Office national d'études et de recherches aérospatiales (ONERA), it was a single-stage vehicle equipped with a SEPR 739-2' Stromboli engine fueled by Plastoline' propellant, offering a propulsion duration of 20 seconds.[1][3][4] The rocket incorporates small nitrogen ejection nozzles to induce rotation and employs aerodynamic stabilization by a cruciform tailfin.[1][3][2]

With a total mass of 1738 kg (excluding the useful tip), Tacite reached a height of nearly 8 meters. It had the capability to propel a 285 kg payload to an altitude of 160 km.[1][3]

Launches

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tacite (sounding rocket).

Operational between 1965 and 1968, this rocket underwent four launches, experiencing one failure.[1][3][2]

Date Launch Site Mission Description Agency Apogee (km)
1965 June 15 Biscarosse Infrared Horizon Study Aeronomy ONERA 182
1967 Nov 23 Ile du Levant FU-169 X-ray astronomy CNES Failure
1968 May 15 Ile du Levant Earth Infrared Aeronomy CNES 175
1968 Oct 15 Ile du Levant Sun pointing test / Solar observations CNES 140

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Fusées de l'ONERA". 2013-01-15. Archived from the original on 2013-01-15. Retrieved 2023-11-14.
  2. 1 2 3 "La fusée Tacite". eurospace.free.fr. Retrieved 2023-11-14.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Tacite". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 2023-11-14.
  4. 1 2 "SEPR-739". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2023-11-14.
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