Rockets Launched in Karystos

In May of 1966 the European Space Agency launched sounding rockets from a site in Karystos.

On May 15, 1966 two sounding rockets were launched.

1966 May 15 – . 05:03 GMT – . Launch Site: Nissaki-Karystos. LV Family: Belier. Launch Vehicle: Centaure. LV Configuration: Centaure CE-5.
ESRO C06 / 2 Solar x-ray mission – . Nation: Europe. Agency: ESRO. Apogee: 140 km (80 mi).

On May 20th 1966 two more rockets were launched from the same site.

1966 May 20 – . 09:01 GMT – . Launch Site: Nissaki-Karystos. LV Family: Arcas. Launch Vehicle: Boosted Arcas. LV Configuration: Boosted Arcas A003.
ESRO A23 / 3 Eclipse ionosphere / solar mission – . Nation: Europe. Agency: ESRO. Apogee: 99 km (61 mi).

1966 May 20 – . 09:30 GMT – . Launch Site: Nissaki-Karystos. LV Family: Belier. Launch Vehicle: Centaure. LV Configuration: Centaure CE-19.

The rockets were launched by the European Space Agency (ESRO)

The Centaure French sounding rocket was a two stage rocket. The Belier I II, or III single stage sounding rocket was augmented by a Venus booster with 94 kg of solid propellant. The rocket was spin stabilized by small solid rocket engines on the four fins.

The Arcas (All-Purpose Rocket for Collecting Atmospheric Soundings) was developed by the Atlantic Research Corporation for the Office of Naval Research (ONR) with the support of the Navy Bureau of Aeronautics and the Air Force Cambridge Research Laboratories. Primarily a meteorological rocket, the Arcas was first fired in July 1959. The single-stage version was designed to lift 5.4 kg to 64 km. For more demanding missions, several versions of boosted Arcas were developed, as well as a stretched Super Arcas motor.

The Belier Family of sounding rockets, developed by Sud Aviation, with the only or upper stage being variants of the Belier stage powered by a Jericho rocket motor. These were the most significant series of French civilian suborbital rockets. Manufacturing licenses were sold to India and Pakistan, becoming the basis of their rocket industries.

This site has some interesting pictures:

http://www.mssl.ucl.ac.uk/heritage/John_Raymont_memoirs/greece66.html

Sources:

Encyclopedia Astronautica
European Space Agency (ESRO)

 

 

 

 

 

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