The Space Congress® Proceedings 1981 (18th) The Year of the Shuttle Apr 1st, 8:00 AM The Scout Launch Vehicle Program Lee R. Foster Manager, Scout Project Office, National Aeronautics & Space Adm., Langley Research Center Richard G. Urash Program Manager - Scout, Vought Corporation Follow this and additional works at: https://commons.erau.edu/space-congress-proceedings Scholarly Commons Citation Foster, Lee R. and Urash, Richard G., "The Scout Launch Vehicle Program" (1981). The Space Congress® Proceedings. 2. https://commons.erau.edu/space-congress-proceedings/proceedings-1981-18th/session-6/2 This Event is brought to you for free and open access by the Conferences at Scholarly Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Space Congress® Proceedings by an authorized administrator of Scholarly Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE SCOUT LAUNCH VEHICLE PROGRAM Mr. Lee R. Foster, Jr. Mr. Richard G. Urash Manager, Scout Project Office Program Manager - Scout National Aeronautics & Space Adm. Vought Corporation Langley Research Center P.O. Box 225907 Hampton, Virginia 23665 Dallas, Texas 75265 ABSTRACT vehicle's structure and systems so that, in The NASA/DOD Scout launch vehicle was con­ addition to the orbital capability, probe ceived in the 1950's by the NASA Langley and reentry missions could be flown with Research Center. Their concept was to utilize no changes other than in mission planning. solid propel!ant rockets developed by the DOD The result was a four stage all solid pro- to provide a reliable and low cost vehicle pellant launch vehicle. The technical for both scientific and applications spacecraft. soundness of the original design may be The program's history indicates both objectives demonstrated by the fact that the following have been met. In addition to emphasizing description of the current Scout G-1 con­ mission success and low cost, the utility of motor Scout has been enhanced over the years by a figuration, except for the rocket conservative approach to increasing both its designators, is also quite applicable to performance and usable payload volume. As the initial versions. part of a unique international cooperative effort, a third (in addition to NASA Wallops Vehicle Description Flight Center and Vandenberg Air Force Base) The Scout vehicle, shown in Fig. 1, consists Scout launch complex was activated in 1967 of four solid propulsion rockets with inter­ by the Italian Government off the east coast connecting structural transition sections of Kenya. Scout's current launch schedule which provide structural continuity and also shows the program continuing under NASA house components of various systems. Begin­ management with missions planned thru CY 1985 ning at the bottom is the Base Section A. with payloads primarily for the DOD. New This section surrounds the Algol IIIA first roles for this proven "workhorse" are being stage motor nozzle and contains the hydrau- explored by the Systems Management Contractor. lically actuated first stage control system powering vanes in the exhaust and aero­ History dynamic controls on the fin tips. Between the first stage and the Castor IIA powered Concept second stage is Transition Section B which contains a separation diaphragm and the The Scout launch Vehicle Program was con­ second stage control system, which uses ceived in 1957 by personnel at the Langley hydrogen peroxide jets to provide control Research Center of the National Aeronautics moments. Joining the second stage and the and Space Administration (NASA). Their Antares IIIA powered third stage is Transi­ purpose was to provide an inexpensive launch tion Section C, containing a separation vehicle for relatively small research space­ diaphragm and the third stage hydrogen craft. Their concept was to select from a peroxide fueled control system. Between the growing inventory of rocket motors, produced third and fourth stages is Transition Section for the Department of Defense (DOD), an D which houses the major components of the optimum "stack" with a design objective to Guidance, Ignition, Beacon, and Telemetry deliver a 45 kilogram (KG) (100 pound) pay- Systems. Mounted on the fourth stage is load to a 555 kilometer (KM) (300 nautical Transition Section E, to which the spacecraft mile (n.mi.)) circular altitude launched due is attached by means of a separation clamp, east from the NASA Wallops Flight Center, in addition to a payload separation ignition Another design objective was to configure the system and a fourth stage Telemetry System. 6-48 Surrounding the Altai r IIIA fourth stage and Wallops complex had a significant effect on spacecraft is a heatshield to protect them the design of the launcher and the environ­ from aerodynamic heating during ascent. Ver­ mental protection for the assembled vehicle satility in trajectory design and implementa­ in the development for the Vandenberg site. tion is provided thru the use of an Intervalo- Assembly methods for ease in handling re­ meter and a Programmer which are pre-set for sulted in the horizontal assembly of the specific missions. At the pre-calculated vehicle on a transporter as opposed to verti­ time, the Intervalometer switches selected cal assembly on the launcher at Wallops. voltage levels from the Programmer to the Vehicle processing on the launcher in an Pitch Gyro torquer, causing the gyro to environmentally controlled shelter, with generate an error signal subsequently nulled vertical erection as a complete assembly, out by rotation of the vehicle due to the resulted in a considerably more efficient action of the control system. Thus the and reliable operation. This configuration, vehicle is guided in the pitch plane while (Fig. 3), subsequently became the standard stabilized about all three axes. The fourth for all Scout launch sites. ttage is not controlled by the guidance system but is spin stabilized during that portion of Activation of the VAFB complex brought about the flight. Total length of the vehicle is even greater DOD participation in the program. 23 meters (M) (75 feet) and its weight is In addition to the U.S. Navy's Strategic 21,600 KG (47,500 pounds). Services Project Office Navigation Satellites, a number of USAF satellites - both operational Organization and First Launch and research - were launched. All of these early VAFB launches were conducted - from The NASA Langley Scout Project Office (SPO) receiving inspection of transition sections was created in 1958 to convert the concept to and rocket motors to manning the Blockhouse reality and in so doing, performed the role for the Countdown - by highly skilled officers of systems management to insure proper inte­ and men of the USAF 6595th ATW at VAFB. Many gration of all the activities and designs of of these men had previous experience on Scout the many contractors involved. When the pro­ at Cape Canaveral with the 6555th ATW. The gram was approaching the Operational Phase, USAF Launch Crew was augmented by a small the role of systems management was turned group of NASA and Vought personnel to provide over to the Vought Corporation in 1960, per­ liaison with their home organizations and mitting NASA to concentrate once again on their with the Vought Launch Crew at Wallops. prime mission of research. Vought, under the management of the NASA/SPO, has performed this Operational Phase task since that time. Scout, like all of the pioneering launch The first launch, whose liftoff is shown in vehicles and missile systems, suffered a Fig. 2, was conducted at NASA Wallops on number of disappointments during the early July 1, 1960. In the next two years, it was '60's, but the program - Government and followed by another eight Development launches, Industry - persevered. With meticulous also from Wallops, the only launch sitel/or ground testing, the institution of rigid the NASA Scout at the time. Simultaneously, requirements and quality and configuration the Air Force was launching the same number of controls and the following of very specific a slightly different configuration from a operational procedures, the vehicle's mobile launcher at Cape Canaveral. reliability was improved to the level which has been maintained over the years. During the Development Phase, the shared need for the inexpensive vehicle prompted both the The launch of Explorer XIX, an air density NASA and the DOD to form a combined Government experiment, on 19 December 1963, marked the management structure for the program, to main­ entrance of Scout into the Nation's stable tain the Scout capability and to satisfy the of Operational Launch Vehicles. Todate in requirements of both agencies. This manage­ the Operational Phase, 78 vehicles have been ment structure, defined in a formal Memorandum launched and have established a mission of Agreement, was identified at the NASA/DOD success record of 95%. Within this record, Scout Coordination Committee. It remains to shown in Fig. 4, is included 37 consecutive this date the single Government entity respon­ successful launches. While all the members sible for Scout Program activities. of the Government and Industry team that contributed to these launches are rightfully Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB) Launch Site proud of their record, the real pride of the program stems not so much from successful Requirements of both NASA and DOD for polar vehicle launches but from the accomplishments launches resulted in the establishment of a of so many and so varied a spectrum of Scout launch site at VAFB in early 1962. The successful missions. operational experience from the original NASA 6-49 Missions and Accomplishments Some of Scout's missions have produced dis­ coupled with a Papal blessing bestowed on the coveries of phenomena hither to unsuspected, program - has resulted in a 100% mission such as the finding of new x-ray sources, success ratio with a series of eight missions quasars, and the first "black hole" in space having been conducted with Italian, United by the Small Astronomy Satellite series.