VSB-30 Credit - NASA

Two stage suborbital launch vehicle consisting of 1 x S-31 plus 1 x S-30. It replaced the British Skylark for suborbital flights from Kiruna.

In 1996, DLR proposed to Centro Tecnico Aerospacial (CTA) the adaptation of its Mini-TEXUS payload to the first stage of SONDA III, which had its first flight in 1976. This new single stage vehicle was known as VS-30. In 2001, the Unified Microgravity Program for Sounding Rockets proposed to CTA the development of a boosted version of the VS-30. The challenge was accepted and the development of the S31 booster motor started. The qualification of the motor consisted of three static firings. The maiden flight was from Alcantara in 2004 in Alcantara. The first operational flight from Kiruna was in 2005.

Manufacturer: INPE. Launches: 3. Failures: 1. Success Rate: 66.67%. First Launch Date: 2004-10-23. Last Launch Date: 2006-05-11. Launch data is: continuing. Payload: 407 kg (897 lb). Apogee: 260 km (160 mi). Liftoff Thrust: 102.000 kN (22,930 lbf). Total Mass: 2,657 kg (5,857 lb). Core Diameter: 0.58 m (1.89 ft). Total Length: 12.80 m (41.90 ft).

2004 October 23 - 16:51 GMT - Launch Site: Alcantara. Launch Complex: S. Launch Vehicle: VSB-30. LV Configuration: VSB-30 V01.

• VSB-30 flight test Nation: Brazil. Agency: SSC. Apogee: 259 km (160 mi). Unguided test launch. During the 45 seconds total burn time of both motors the vehicle was accelerated to a final velocity of 1676 m/s. The payload segment with an approximate weight of 400 kg was carried to an apogee height of almost 240 km, which was reached 252 seconds after lift-off. At T+650 seconds the payload landed 190 km northeast of the launch site in the ocean, only 700 meters from the nominal impact point.References: 1879.

• TEXUS EML-1/TEXUS 42 Microgravity mission Nation: Sweden. Agency: SSC. Apogee: 263 km (163 mi). This was the first launch of the Brazilian sounding rocket VSB-30, replacing the British Skylark, from Esrange. The speed when leaving the launcher was about 60 m/s and after 45 seconds of acceleration the max speed was over 200 m/s. During the flight the experiments onboard spent approximately 6 minutes of microgravity and all experiments worked successfully. The payload was brought back for analysis at Esrange by helicopter within one hour after landing.References: 1879.

• TEXUS 43 Microgravity mission Nation: Sweden. Agency: SSC. Apogee: 238 km (147 mi). The TEXUS 43 mission gave around six minutes of microgravity to the 407 kg payload contributed by five investigators from three different institutes References: 1879.

• Cuma II Nation: Brazil. Agency: AEB/INPE. Apogee: 242 km (150 mi). Microgravity