Success
Prospero
Test Flight
Royal Aircraft EstablishmentGovernmentBlack Arrow
LEOorbit
British scientific satellite used to demonstrate technologies needed for communication satellites.
Thursday, October 28, 1971 at 4:09 AM
Mission details
Orbital Attempt
#1,275
Agency Mission
#2
Pad Launch
#2
Location Launch
#6
Designator
1971-093
Launch Window
NET
Oct 28, 1971, 4:09 AM
Schedule Changes
1 update
RAAF Woomera Range Complex
The RAAF Woomera Range Complex (WRC) is a major Australian military and civil aerospace facility and operation located in South Australia, approximately 450 km (280 mi) north-west of Adelaide. The WRC is operated by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), a Service of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The complex has a land area of 122,188 km2 (47,177 sq mi) or roughly the size of North Korea or Pennsylvania. The airspace above the area is restricted and controlled by the RAAF for safety and security. The WRC is a highly specialised ADF test and evaluation capability operated by the RAAF for the purposes of testing defence materiel.
Timezone
Australia/Adelaide
Local Launch Time
Oct 28, 1971, 1:39 PM
Total Launches
6
Total Landings
0
Coordinates
-30.9553, 136.5322
Black Arrow Specs
Black Arrow was a British satellite carrier rocket. Developed during the 1960s, it was used for four launches between 1969 and 1971. Its final flight was the first and only successful orbital launch to be conducted by the United Kingdom, and placed the Prospero satellite into low Earth orbit.
Length
13 m
Diameter
2 m
Launch Mass
18 t
Thrust
256 kN
LEO Capacity
135 kg
Reusable
No
Maiden Flight
1969
Fastest Turnaround
1y 1mo
Total Launches
2
Successful
1
Failed
1
Consecutive Success
1
Maiden flight: Jun 27, 1969
Royal Aircraft Establishment
The Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE) was a British research establishment, known by several different names during its history, that eventually came under the aegis of the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD), before finally losing its identity in mergers with other institutions.
Founded
1904
Total Launches
2
Successful
1
Failed
1
Pending
0
Consecutive Success
1