Astrobee

Astrobee is the designation of series of American sounding rockets with one to three stages.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]}

Designed by Aerojet, this family of solid-propellant rockets was conceived as a lower-cost replacement of the liquid-propellant Aerobee.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]}

Versions

Astrobee 500

The three-stage Astrobee 500 (first stage: Genius, second stage: Alcor, third stage: Asp) has a ceiling of 1000 km, a takeoff thrust of 161 kN, a takeoff weight of 900 kg, a diameter of 0.38 m and a length of 7.80 m.^[2][3] It was launched one time in 1960.^[3]

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  Astrobee-500

Astrobee 1500

The three-stage Astrobee 1500 (first stage: Recruit, second stage: Aero jet, third stage: Alcor) has a ceiling of 1000 km, a takeoff thrust of 566 kN, a takeoff weight of 5200 kg, a diameter of 0.79 m and a length of 10.40 m.^[4] It was launched ten times between 1961 and 1969.^[4]

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  Astrobe 1500
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  Astrobe 1500
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  Astrobee 1500

Astrobee 200

The two-stage Astrobee 200 (first stage: Genius, second stage: Alcor) has a ceiling of 350 km, a takeoff thrust of 161 kN, a takeoff weight of 800 kg, a diameter of 0.38 m and a length of 6.30 m. It was launched ten times between 1961 and 1966^[5]

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  Astrobee 200

Astrobee D

The single-stage Astrobee D has a ceiling of 140 km, a takeoff thrust of 23.00 kN, a takeoff weight of 100 kg, a diameter of 0.15 m and a length of 3.90 m.^[6][7] It was launched forty-two times between 1970 and 1980.^[7]

Astrobee F

The single-stage Astrobee F has a ceiling of 375 km, a takeoff thrust of 178.00 kN, a takeoff weight of 1500 kg, a diameter of 0.38 m and a length of 11.50 m.^[8][9] It was launched forty-nine times between 1972 and 1983.^[9]

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