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| Function | Orbital launch vehicle |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial (INTA) |
| Country of origin | Spain |
| Size | |
| Height | 18.25 m (59.9 ft) |
| Diameter | 1.00 m (3.28 ft) |
| Mass | 15,035 kg (33,147 lb) |
| Stages | 3 |
| Capacity | |
| Payload to LEO | |
| Mass | 140 kg (310 lb) |
| Launch history | |
| Status | Canceled |
| Launch sites | El Hierro |
| First stage – Castor 4B | |
| Powered by | 1 Solid |
| Maximum thrust | 429 kN (96,000 lbf) |
| Burn time | 61 sec |
| Propellant | HTPB |
| Second stage – Deneb-F | |
| Powered by | 1 Solid |
| Maximum thrust | 167.9 kN (37,700 lbf) |
| Burn time | 35.6 sec |
| Propellant | Solid |
| Third stage – Mizar-B | |
| Powered by | 1 Solid |
| Maximum thrust | 50.29 kN (11,310 lbf) |
| Burn time | 33.8 sec |
| Propellant | Solid |
Capricornio was a Spanish satellite launch vehicle developed by the Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial (INTA) in the 1990s.[1] It was expected to be a low cost solution to place up to 70 kg payloads into 600 km polar orbits or 60 to 140 kg payloads into low Earth orbit. The Capricornio program was cancelled in 2000. It was similar to the Condor missile from Argentina and its test, scheduled for 1999/2000, was not conducted.
Development
- First phase: development of solid motors using the INTA-100 and INTA-300 sounding rockets, launched from the El Arenosillo test range in southern Spain.
- Second phase: use Capricornio second and third stages as the Argo sounding rocket (originally planned for winter 1998-99[2]).
- Third phase: first launch of the full Capricornio rocket, carrying a micro-satellite.
Configuration
Three-stage solid propellant launcher. Overall length of 18.25 m, body diameter of 1.0 m and weighs 15,035 kg at launch.
Projected flights
The first flight of Capricornio was scheduled to take place from El Hierro Launch Centre[5] in late 1999 or 2000. It would carry two small satellites:[1] Nanosat 01 (developed by the Polytechnic University of Madrid) and Venus (Polytechnic University of Madrid and other universities in Mexico and Argentina).
See also
- Miura 1 – Suborbital recoverable launch vehicle of the Spanish company PLD Space
- Miura 5 – European orbital recoverable rocket of the company PLD Space
- List of orbital launch systems
References
- 1 2 "Capricorno". Astronautix.com. Archived from the original on December 28, 2016. Retrieved 2012-08-20.
- ↑ "Capricornio project". Sat-net.com. 1998-10-19. Retrieved 2012-08-20.
- ↑ "Thiokol to Supply Rocket Boosters for Spain's Capricornio Launch Vehicle New Three-Stage Booster Under Development for Small Payloads - Free Online Library". Thefreelibrary.com. 1997-06-16. Retrieved 2012-08-20.
- 1 2 "Capricornio". B14643.de. Retrieved 2013-10-22.
- ↑ "Spain in Space" (PDF). Esa.int. Retrieved 2013-10-22.