Castor A

Castor
Function	Sounding rocket
Manufacturer	Instituto de Investigaciones Aeronáuticas y Espaciales (IIAE)
Country of origin	Argentina
Size
Height	8 m (26 ft)
Diameter	0.69 m (2 ft 3 in)
Stages	2
Launch history
Launch sites	CELPA Chamical, Vice Commodore Marambio Base, Chilca
Total launches	7
Success(es)	6
Failure(s)	1
First flight	December 22, 1969
Last flight	March 22, 1979
stage – First Stage
Powered by	4 Canopus II
stage – Second Stage
Powered by	1 Canopus II
	[edit on Wikidata]

The Castor A was an Argentine sounding rocket designed in 1969 by the Instituto de Investigaciones Aeronáuticas y Espaciales (IIAE).^[1]^[2]

The rocket featured a two-stage configuration, utilizing five Canopus II rockets (four in the first stage and one in the second).^[1]^[2] It was capable of placing a 75 kg (165 lb) payload at a 400 km altitude.^[1]

Throughout its operational lifespan, the Castor A was launched seven times.^[1]^[3] It experienced one failure during one of its launches, thus achieving a success rate of approximately 83.3%.^[1]^[3]

Launches

Castor was launched seven times:^[1]^[3]

Date	Mission Type	Nation	Agency	Apogee	Launch Site
December 22, 1969	Test mission	Argentina	IIAE	52 km	CELPA Chamical^[1]^[3]
December 19, 1970	Test mission	Argentina	IIAE	45 km	CELPA Chamical^[1]^[3]
November 22, 1973	Ion beam Ionosphere mission	Germany	MPE	406 km	CELPA Chamical^[1]^[3]
September 30, 1975	Ionosphere mission	Germany	MPE	400 km	Vice Commodore Marambio Base, Antarctica^[1]^[3]
October 3, 1975	Ionosphere mission	Germany	MPE	400 km	Vice Commodore Marambio Base, Antarctica^[1]^[3]
March 21, 1979, 11:49 PM	Spread F Barium release mission	Germany	DFVLR	Failure	Chilca, Peru^[1]^[3]
March 22, 1979, 11:59 PM	Spread F Barium release mission	Germany	DFVLR	268 km	Chilca, Peru^[1]^[3]

Specifications

Apogee: 400 km^[1]^[2]
Total mass: 355 kg^[1]^[2]
Diameter: 69 cm^[1]^[2]
Length: 8 m^[1]^[2]

Images

First Castor (CRX-01) at CELPA Chamical
Castor launch preparations

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q "Castor (A)". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "NTI: Country Overviews: Argentina: Missile Chronology". 2006-02-19. Archived from the original on 2006-02-19. Retrieved 2023-07-27.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j "Castor". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2023-07-27.

[:0-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q "Castor (A)". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 2023-10-20.

[:1-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "NTI: Country Overviews: Argentina: Missile Chronology". 2006-02-19. Archived from the original on 2006-02-19. Retrieved 2023-07-27.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)

[:2-3] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j "Castor". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2023-07-27.

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