The suborbital thread!

[bolun]

Launch of a Mapheus-3 rocket on 25 November 2012, from the Swedish Esrange Space Center in Kiruna.

http://www.dlr.de/dlr/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-10081/151_read-5707//year-all/

[Satori]

Brazil launched the VS-30/Orion V10 on December 8th at 2100UTC. The launch took place from the Centro de Lançamento de Alcântara – CLA. Launch had been delayed for 24 hours because of strong winds.

The rocket reached an apogee of 428.12 km and the total flight time was 11 minutes. Total distance traveled was 382.69 km.

[Skyrocket]

Brazil launched the VZ-20/Orion V10 on December 8th at 2100UTC. The launch took place from the Centro de Lançamento de Alcântara – CLA.

VZ-20/Orion? That should certainly read VS-30/Orion

[Satori]

Brazil launched the VZ-20/Orion V10 on December 8th at 2100UTC. The launch took place from the Centro de Lançamento de Alcântara – CLA.

VZ-20/Orion? That should certainly read VS-30/Orion

Of course, you are right! VS-30.

[Galactic Penguin SST]

JAXA has just launched a S-520 sounding rocket (s/n S-520-28) at 07:00 UTC today. Details to follow soon.....

(photos from https://twitter.com/koumeiShibata)

[Lewis007]

It's a busy time in "sounding rocket land." Apart from the Japanese launch, a Black Brant-IX was launched from White Sands on Dec 13.

Two day later, another Black Brant-IX was launched from White Sands; this was the EUNIS misison to study the sun. More info here:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sounding-rockets/news/eunis.html

A Terrier Lynx rocket is scheduled for launch from Wallops on December 18 (delayed from Dec 14).

[jcm]

JAXA has just launched a S-520 sounding rocket (s/n S-520-28) at 07:00 UTC today. Details to follow soon.....

(photos from https://twitter.com/koumeiShibata)

Press release http://www.jaxa.jp/press/2012/12/20121217_s-520-28_j.html
in Japanese; launch at 16:00:00 JST at elevation 76 deg, apogee 312 km at 283 km carrying microgravity experiments: nucleation of calcium carbonate and ? another experiment to study dust nucleation

[jcm]

A Terrier Lynx rocket is scheduled for launch from Wallops on December 18 (delayed from Dec 14).

Appears that this launch (apparently called 'Shark') has been further delayed

[jcm]

Rawalpindi - November 28, 2012:
Pakistan today successfully conducted the training launch of Medium Range Ballistic Missile Hatf V (Ghauri). The launch was conducted by a Strategic Missile Group of the Army Strategic Force Command on the culmination of a field training exercise that was aimed at testing the operational readiness of the Army Strategic Force Command. Ghauri ballistic missile is a liquid fuel missile which can carry both conventional and nuclear warheads over a distance of 1300 kms.

http://tribune.com.pk/story/473227/mysterious-dadu-debris-was-part-of-hatf-v-missile/  and other sources report debris in Dadu, which is about 1000-1100 km downrange of the possible launch area at Tilla near Islamabad. This gives a clue as to the launch azimuth... the claimed 1300 km range would put impact just offshore in the Arabian Sea, which makes sense. Seems like the rocket body separated from the RV and drag made it impact significantly uprange of the RV.

[jcm]

Two day later, another Black Brant-IX was launched from White Sands; this was the EUNIS misison to study the sun. More info here:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sounding-rockets/news/eunis.html
 

The above link implies a delay, and I haven't found any other evidence that
EUNIS / NASA 36.269GS Rabin  has actually been launched - do you have info to the contrary?

[Lewis007]

Two day later, another Black Brant-IX was launched from White Sands; this was the EUNIS misison to study the sun. More info here:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sounding-rockets/news/eunis.html
 

The above link implies a delay, and I haven't found any other evidence that
EUNIS / NASA 36.269GS Rabin  has actually been launched - do you have info to the contrary?

The delay mentioned at the top of the article refers to SLICE, which I assume is another mission. White Sands launches are rather difficult to follow, as there are no fancy webpages. I found this link that the launch did occur on Dec 15.
http://infomag.nl/nasa-suddenly-launched-a-mission-eunis-for-study-of-solar-flares-at-december-15-2012/

PS: more pix of the Japanese launch can be found here. I hope more info (in English) will come later...
http://www.isas.jaxa.jp/j/topics/topics/2012/1015_s-520-28.shtml

[jcm]

The above link implies a delay, and I haven't found any other evidence that
EUNIS / NASA 36.269GS Rabin  has actually been launched - do you have info to the contrary?

The delay mentioned at the top of the article refers to SLICE, which I assume is another mission. White Sands launches are rather difficult to follow, as there are no fancy webpages. I found this link that the launch did occur on Dec 15.
http://infomag.nl/nasa-suddenly-launched-a-mission-eunis-for-study-of-solar-flares-at-december-15-2012/

PS: more pix of the Japanese launch can be found here. I hope more info (in English) will come later...
http://www.isas.jaxa.jp/j/topics/topics/2012/1015_s-520-28.shtml

The delay text is a cut and paste error, the same text is found on the real page for SLICE, but I believe both missions were delayed.
The infomag.nl link 404s for me but other links to "nasa-suddenly-launched-a-mission-eunis-for-study-of-solar-flares" seem to be Maya Apocalypse conspiracy theories with a video of the 2009 launch of 39.009DR.

[marshal]

Some pix of the Minuteman-III launch

Source: VAFB

patche

USAF 576 FLTS/341 MW Glory Trip 206-GM Launch Patch Minuteman III ICBM Nuclear

[catdlr]

Sun Corona Imager Goes Sub-Orbital On Sounding Rocket | Video

Published on Jan 23, 2013
In July 2012, NASA launch the High Resolution Coronal Imager (Hi-C) from the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. It delivered the highest resolution imagery to date of the Sun's atmosphere.

[catdlr]

And now the results:

Zoom Into Sun's Atmosphere Delivered In Stunning Detail | Video

Published on Jan 23, 2013
The High Resolution Coronal Imager (HI-C) was launched by NASA on a sounding rocket in July 2012. Full Sun AIA (Atmospheric Imaging Assembly) and full field of view images taken by the imager are compared.

[catdlr]

30th Space Wing Public Affairs

source: http://www.vandenberg.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123333779

1/24/2013 - VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- The 30th Space Wing and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency are scheduled to conduct a flight test exercising elements of the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense system Jan. 26, between the hours of 2 and 6 p.m on North base.

Col. Nina Armagno, 30th Space Wing commander, is the Launch Decision Authority.

"Vandenberg Hawks are working with MDA to provide safe launch operations for the test," " said Armagno."It's a pleasure to work with our MDA mission partners."

The test will involve the launch of a three-stage Ground-Based Interceptor missile. It does not involve an intercept, and no target missile will be launched. MDA will use the test results to improve and enhance the GMD element of the Ballistic Missile Defense System, designed to defend the Nation, deployed forces, friends and allies from ballistic missile attacks, according to an MDA spokesperson.

[sdsds]

A missile carrying an improved anti-missile kill vehicle was launched from north Vandenberg AFB at 14:00:00 PST/22:00:00Z today.
http://mailman.qth.net/pipermail/launch-alert/2013-January/000782.html

[marshal]

Raytheon Company : Enhanced Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle successful in non-intercept flight test
01/26/2013| 10:55pm US/Eastern

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif., Jan. 26, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon Company's (NYSE: RTN) upgraded Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle played a mission-critical role in a non-intercept flight test of Boeing's Ground-based Midcourse Defense program. The EKV is a vital component of the GMD's Ground-Based Interceptor.

The EKV allows the GBI to lock on and eliminate high-speed ballistic missile warheads in space using nothing more than the force of impact.

"Rigorous non-intercept flight tests are important in proving the effectiveness and operational capability of ballistic missile defense weapons and their various components," said Wes Kremer, Raytheon Missile Systems' vice president of Air and Missile Defense Systems. "Today's test allowed us to challenge the EKV in a series of realistic outer-space environments, which gives us a broad range of data prior to moving toward an intercept scenario."

During the test, the EKV performed as planned, maneuvering the interceptor to the appropriate altitude and closing velocity required for an intercept.

"The sole purpose of the Ground-based Midcourse Defense program is to defend the homeland from the threat of ballistic missile attack," said Kremer. "This test moves us one step closer to an intercept flight test in 2013."

About the EKV

Leveraging more than two decades of kill vehicle technology expertise, the EKV is designed to destroy incoming ballistic missile threats by colliding with them, a concept often described as "hit to kill."


-- The EKV has an advanced multi-color sensor used to detect and
discriminate incoming warheads from other objects.
-- The EKV also has its own propulsion, communications link, discrimination
algorithms, guidance and control system, and computers to support target
selection and intercept.
-- Deployed and operational today, the EKV has had eight successful
intercepts throughout the life of the program.

http://www.4-traders.com/RAYTHEON-COMPANY-14299/news/Raytheon-Company-Enhanced-Exoatmospheric-Kill-Vehicle-successful-in-non-intercept-flight-test-15975280/

[catdlr]

Video from Press Site:

http://ktla.com/2013/01/26/military-tests-missile-system-at-vandenberg-afb/#axzz2J9rkzTPY

Military Tests Missile System at Vandenberg Air Force Base

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (KTLA) — The 30th Space Wing and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency conducted a flight test of the Ground-Based Mid-course Defense system Saturday.

The missile test was designed to demonstrate the latest version of the advanced kill vehicle.

The launch is the cumulation of three years of study, development and modernization from the nation’s top engineers.

The military says the test is also an opportunity to demonstrate the ability of the U.S. to nullify ballistic missile threats, particularly from North Korea.

[jcm]

India carried out its first SLBM test launch from a submerged submarine at 1340 IST Jan 27. The submarine was the INS S-73 Arihant. The missile is called BO-5 and has a range of 700 km.

http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/india-test-fires-missile-from-under-sea-completes-nuclear-triad-322839

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/India-test-fires-ballistic-missile-from-underwater-platform/articleshow/18208492.cms

http://inagist.com/all/295519686534250497/

The Indian SLBM program has a lot of disinformation going around - there are claimed to be K-5 and K-15 missiles with different ranges. My best guess is that the BO-5 is the K-15 = Sagarika, and that the Shourya is the same missile in its land based role, with K-5 being another longer range missile still in development, but Indian officials are making conflicting statements (one saying that BO-5 = K-5)
- it will probably take a long time for the fog to clear.