Waxwing was a Britishsolid rocket motor used forapogee kick as the 3rd (upper) stage of theBlack Arrow satellite launch vehicles. It was also known as Black Arrow-3. Waxwing was used to successfully place theProspero X-3 satellite intolow Earth orbit on 28 October 1971, Britain's only satellite launched on an indigenously developed launch vehicle. Before being separated from the Black Arrow launch vehicle, it would be spun on a turntable using six radial 'Imp' solid rocket motors[1] tospin stabilise the satellite. This means that any discrepancy in thrust in any direction would be cancelled out. The Waxwing motor is now out of production.[2]
Another possible use of Waxwing was to increase the velocity of test re-entry vehicles onBlack Knight during tests for theBlue Streak missile.[3] However, this is disputed byother sources.
Design was by theRocket Propulsion Establishment (RPE) at Westcott and it was manufactured byBristol Aerojet, with four units for the Black Arrow program with their first flight 1969.[4][2] The casing was spherical and the propellant grain used an internal star profile to control the initial burn rate.
Specifications[2]
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Black Arrow rockets | ||
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