Malemute is the designation of an American sounding rocket family.[1] The original Malemute had a maximum flight altitude of 165 km, a liftoff thrust of 57.00 kN, a total mass of 100 kg, a diameter of 0.41 m and a total length of 2.40 m.[1] It was a single stage vehicle powered by a Thiokol Malemute TU-758 engine, [1] operated by Sandia National Laboratories (SNL).[1]

Launch of Terrier Improved Malemute from the Wallops Flight Facility

It was used for used for conducting upper atmosphere research in various missions to study phenomena such as auroras, ionosphere and cosmic radiation. Over the years more advanced versions were developed.[2][3][4]

Versions

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Improved versions exist, with the addition of a second stages and using different first stage engines.[2][3][5][6][7][8]

Version First Stage Second Stage
Malemute[1] TU-758 -
Malemute-2 TU-758 -
Improved Malemute (PAAT)[3] TX-486-1 -
Improved Malemute Improved Malemute (IM/IM) TX-486-1 TX-486-1
Improved Malemute Improved Orion (IM/IO) TX-486-1 M112
29. Terrier-Malemute[7] Terrier mk.12 TU-758
46. Terrier-imp. Malemute[8][5] Terrier mk.70 TX-486-1
S31

Improved Malemute (S31/IM)

S31 TX-486-1
Red Kite (RK/IM)

Improved Malemute

RK TX-486-1

Launches

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Malemute rockets were launched from Andøya Space Center, ESRANGE, Kauai Test Facility, Tonopah Test Range and White Sands Missile Range.[2]

Date Rocket Version Launch Site Mission
22.07.1976 Malemute Tonopah Test Range Sandia 497-006
24.07.1976 Malemute Tonopah Test Range Sandia 497-007
19.04.1979 Malemute-2 Tonopah Test Range Sandia 497-009
01.07.1999 Malemute-2 Kauai Test Facility TMBD Target (Slugger)
30.06.2016 Improved Malemute Andøya Space Center MaxiDusty 1 (IM QUAL 1)
08.07.2016 Improved Malemute Andøya Space Center MaxiDusty 1B (IM QUAL 2)
13.04.2018 Improved Malemute Andøya Space Center PMWE 1
13.04.2018 Improved Malemute Andøya Space Center PMWE 2
20.02.2020 Improved Malemute ESRANGE SPIDER 2
24.05.2021 Improved Malemute Improved Malemute ESRANGE MAPHEUS 11
12.08.2021 Improved Malemute White Sands Missile Range ET-2 (Economical Target 2)
07.09.2021 Improved Malemute White Sands Missile Range ET-2 (Economical Target 2)
01.10.2021 Improved Malemute Andøya Space Center PMWE 3
01.10.2021 Improved Malemute Andøya Space Center PMWE 4
06.12.2021 Improved Malemute Improved Malemute ESRANGE MAPHEUS 10
29.01.2022 Improved Malemute Improved Malemute ESRANGE MAPHEUS 9
21.10.2022 Improved Malemute Improved Malemute ESRANGE MAPHEUS 12
23.03.2023 Improved Malemute Improved Orion ESRANGE BROR
22.05.2023 Improved Malemute Improved Malemute ESRANGE MAPHEUS 13

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Malemute". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
  2. ^ a b c "Malemute". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
  3. ^ a b c "Imp. Malemute". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
  4. ^ Koehler, Keith; NASA. "NASA completes investigation of July 2014 Terrier-Improved Malemute sounding rocket failure". phys.org. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  5. ^ a b "NASA Types of Sounding Rockets". NASA.gov/Types of Sounding Rockets.
  6. ^ "DLR MoRaBa, mission calendar". DLR MoRaBa.
  7. ^ a b "Terrier Malemute". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  8. ^ a b "Terrier Improved Malemute". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 2024-03-19.