Shavetail
 | |
| Function | Experimental rocket |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | United States |
| Size | |
| Height | 9 feet (2.7 m) |
| Diameter | 6 inches (150 mm) |
| Mass | 200 pounds (91 kg) |
| Stages | One |
| Launch history | |
| Status | Retired |
| Launch sites | White Sands Missile Range |
| Total launches | 11 |
| First flight | August 1959 |
| Last flight | October 1959 |
Shavetail was an experimental American rocket developed during the 1950s. Used to evaluate the rapidly developing technology of rocketry, eleven Shavetail rockets were fired during 1959.
Design and development
[edit]Intended to assist in the development of rocket and missile technologies, Shavetail was a small, inexpensive, unguided solid-fueled rocket that was capable of being modified to be tested in various configurations.[1] Among the systems tested was one to ensure precise payload separation at motor burnout.[2]
Operational history
[edit]A series of eleven launches of the Shavetail rocket were conducted in late 1959, starting in August and ending in October.[3] The maximum range of Shavetail was 6 miles (9.7 km).[1]
References
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^ a b "Shavetail". White Sands Missile Range Missile Park. White Sands Missile Range Museum. Retrieved 2011-01-19.
- ^ Baker 1978, p.142.
- ^ Parsch 2024
Bibliography
[edit]- Baker, David (1978). The Rocket: The History and Development of Rocket & Missile Technology. New York: Crown. ISBN 978-0517534045. OL 4714156M.
- Parsch, Andreas (2024). "(Other): "Missile Scrapbook"". Directory of U.S. Military Rockets and Missiles. designation-systems.net. Retrieved 2011-01-19.