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BRITAIN'S FIRST SPACE ROCKET The story of the Skylark |
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1957 May 22 |
SL02 is fired
from Woomera at 14.50 local time, |
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Summary: SL02
was the second Skylark launched. As with the first, the vehicle
carried no university experiments, only RAE
test instruments to monitor performance.
An improved Raven IIA motor was used. Preparation: Wednesday 22nd May dawned fine with a moderate breeze from the south. Final preparations started at 13:30, and firing occurred at 14:50 Flight: This second flight reached a height a height of 250,000 feet (47 miles / 76 km), over six times as high as SL01. Unfortunately, because of an error in setting the launch tower dial readings, the vehicle flew far to the right of its intended path. Recovery: The impact point was outside the range boundary, and "...wisely it was it was decided not to go and look for [the Skylark] as that would have drawn attention to it." Thus the impact could only be estimated as 111 miles (179 km) downrange. Result: The favourable position of the Sun meant that optical tracking was considerably better than SL01. Telemetry and other records were satisfactory. Useful heating measurements of the nose cone were again obtained, although the vibration sensor amplifier failed in flight. |
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More: (i) 'Britain's First Space Rocket' book: page 79 onwards (ii) Dorling (1959), The First Six Skylark Firings, pp.23-28. (RAE Technical Report GW530, Oct.1959) (TNA:PRO DSIR 23/27687) (iii) RAE film of launch of launch of SL02 "The Firing of Skylark at Woomera,May 22nd 1957", streamed online by IWM: https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/1060019298 |
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