Blue Streak - the military development programme.
The Blue Streak silo,K11. The underground launcher that would have to be used for Blue Streak.
Controvery surrounds the Blue Streak silo. Thisdocument details the Air Ministry's thoughts on the subject as early as 1958.
When Harold watkinson, Minister of Defence, announced the cancellation of Blue Streak as a weapon, he went on to say that the vehicle would be deveoped as a satellite launcher.
Indeed, RAE had drawn up such a design as early as 1957, and Geoffrey Pardoe of de Havilland had also drawn up a launcher. These, like the BSSLV or Black Prince design of Saunders Roe, all used Blue Streak with some variation of Black Knight as a second stage.And, briefly, consideration was given to alaunch site in Cumbria!
After the launch of F1, the first flight of Blue Streak, the Officer in Scientific Charge, HGR Robinson of RAE Farnborough, prepared areport on the flight, which is reproduced here in its entirety. Robinson was also the man in charge of the Black Knight programme.
So, the missile having been cancelled, what comes next?Europa - the European launcher.
One of the great might-have-beens ...Black Prince!
And a useful and sensible design - but too late. Blue Streak with aCentaur upper stage.
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