Blue Streak based satellite transport system

[Spark]

Hi,
May I suggest HTP+BSSLV could have orbited a Mercury sized capsule easily, possible by 63/64.
Thinks the original 1st stage 360,000lb thrust with RZ13 throttable engines could with an airframe designed built to a 18g with c8,000lb payload standard, limited to 2 or 3g and a signifiicant payload. this would have been the equal or better than the Atlas. and the capsule could be recovered on land in the outback.

The Mercury capsule without the UK heat shield would have been very heavy.

I have seen a better drawing of a RR HL/LOX 2nd by Brassington must have been early.

NOTE. up until March 1960 RZ13 was to have been the standard SLV engine not the RZ12.
Spark

Sadly, Blue Streak + an HTP upper stage couldn't launch a manned capsule.

that's a three stage rocket Blue Streak, second stage HTP, third stage oxygen/hydrogen
Saunders Roe proposed that for Black Prince (Blue Streak with HTP upper stages )
http://www.spaceuk.org/hydrogen/SP510.htm

 

[Grey Havoc]

Apollo 11: Britain planned to put a man on the Moon by 1968, lost documents show

Britain had drawn up plans to put a man on the Moon by 1968, newly discovered archives show.

www.telegraph.co.uk

 

[Grey Havoc]

Have any plans or drawings of the proposed Blue Streak/BLACK ARROW stack come to light?

 

[CNH]

Number 11: http://www.spaceuk.org/bstreak/bstreak.htm

Or buy the book.

 

[Archibald]

Raw calculations...

Blue Streak (95 mt full 7 mt dry so 0.92 prop mass fraction isp 280)
...with Agena-D (7 mt full 0.7 mt at burnout, prop mass fraction 0.90 and isp 316 in vacuum )

9.81*280*ln((95+7+1.7)/(7+7+1.7)) +9.81*316*ln((7+1.7)/(0.7+1.7))
=
1.7 metric tons to 9178 m/s.

Mercury was a bit less than 1.4 metric tons so on paper at least, it could work...

 

[Barrington Bond]

Proud owner of the next best thing to a real one...

 

[TsrJoe]

Verrry nice, what scale is the model

 

[Barrington Bond]

Verrry nice, what scale is the model

Haven't been able to get a good measurement off of it but about 1:19th. Entirely of wood except the pole it sits on. It is damaged but I'm just greatful to own it. Seems to be 3 planks glued together and turned on a lathe as there is a crack going straight down in the paintwork. The curious thing which isn't clear in this picture is the white unfinished piece capping it off. I'll take more pictures and post them later today. Obtained it from someone who didn't know its history near Hatfield. I've looked at all the pictures I have of models at shows but it doesn't match any unless the paintjob was changed...

Regards,
Barry

 

[Barrington Bond]

 

[Antonio]

‘Lost’ plans show Britain was preparing for a moon landing in 1968. What happened?

Documents unearthed in 2019 on the site of what was Britain's only rocket maker align with an obscure presentation from 1960 – and suggest the country's moon...

www.nationalgeographic.co.uk

 

[Archibald]

The article is quite a mess, with a touch of clickbait. Best thing would be to recover the papers and get a REALISTIC glance.

 

[martinbayer]

I recommend "Point of No Return" by Guy Stevens. Both the writing and the editing are less than stellar (really no pun intended), but in 560 pages, it presents an entertaining scenario. Tagline: "In the 1960s, Britain's space programme went badly wrong. What if it hadn't?"

 

[uk 75]

If you enjoy the look at what might have been, there are some good posts here

https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/british-manned-program-in-60s.8119/page-2

 

[Archibald]

I recommend "Point of No Return" by Guy Stevens. Both the writing and the editing are less than stellar (really no pun intended), but in 560 pages, it presents an entertaining scenario. Tagline: "In the 1960s, Britain's space programme went badly wrong. What if it hadn't?"

Hell yes. The book variant of this https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/threads/the-selene-project.363684/

 

[uk 75]

The UK goes where the money is with its focus on satellites rather than launchers or manned vehicles. It has carved out a leading role.
Russia offered cheap launches with its ICBM derived missiles until US private industry started to compete.

 

[Barrington Bond]

Interesting article.

 

[TsrJoe]

an interesting article, a nice find

Mary Goldring - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[Barrington Bond]

The Activities of ELDO article.

 

[Barrington Bond]

The ELDO-PAS Programme and its Management article.

 

[Barrington Bond]

Problems of Guidance - In Particular - Inertial Guidance article.

 

[Barrington Bond]

Summary of Discussion - A. V. Cleaver article.

 

[Barrington Bond]

Just the rocket diagrams...

 

[Barrington Bond]

Photocopies from Aircraft Production journal.

 

[Barrington Bond]

...and more.

 

[Barrington Bond]

..and the last.