Cajun (rocket)
Encyclopedia
The Cajun was an American
sounding rocket
developed during the 1950s. It was extensively used for scientific experiments by NASA
and the United States military between 1956 and 1976.
' - later NASA - Langley Research Center
, as a development of the earlier Deacon
experimental rocket. Utilising the Deacon's airframe but an improved motor that utilised new, higher-energy propellants to provide better performance, the name "Cajun" was applied to the rocket by the leader of PARD's rocket division, a native of New Orleans.
The Cajun rocket was constructed of stainless steel
, with extruded Duraluminum stabilising fins. The rocket motor, developed by Thiokol
, was capable of producing up to 42.7 kN (42,700 N) thrust.
range in Virginia
on June 20, 1956. The rocket proved to be as successful as expected, and was quickly put into extensive use, both on its own and as an upper stage in the Nike Cajun (or CAN, 'Cajun And Nike'), first launched on July 6, 1956; and in the Terasca
three-stage rocket, first launched May 1, 1959. Several other sounding rocket configurations made use of the Cajun stage, the most extensively used being the Cajun Dart
; the Bullpup-Cajun and Double Cajun rockets also utilised the stage.
In total, over eight hundred launches of the Cajun rocket in its various configurations were conducted between 1956 and October 6, 1976, when the final Cajun flight, in the Nike-Cajun configuration, was undertaken at Wallops Island.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sounding rocket
Sounding rocket
A sounding rocket, sometimes called a research rocket, is an instrument-carrying rocket designed to take measurements and perform scientific experiments during its sub-orbital flight. The origin of the term comes from nautical vocabulary, where to sound is to throw a weighted line from a ship into...
developed during the 1950s. It was extensively used for scientific experiments by NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
and the United States military between 1956 and 1976.
Development
Development of the Cajun sounding rocket began in early 1956 at the Pilotless Aircraft Research Division (PARD) of the National Advisory Committee for AeronauticsNational Advisory Committee for Aeronautics
The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics was a U.S. federal agency founded on March 3, 1915 to undertake, promote, and institutionalize aeronautical research. On October 1, 1958 the agency was dissolved, and its assets and personnel transferred to the newly created National Aeronautics and...
' - later NASA - Langley Research Center
Langley Research Center
Langley Research Center is the oldest of NASA's field centers, located in Hampton, Virginia, United States. It directly borders Poquoson, Virginia and Langley Air Force Base...
, as a development of the earlier Deacon
Deacon (rocket)
Deacon is the designation of an American sounding rocket. The Deacon was launched 90 times from 1947 to 1957 from Wallops Island. The Deacon has a maximum flight height of 20 kilometers and a pay load ability of 17 kilograms...
experimental rocket. Utilising the Deacon's airframe but an improved motor that utilised new, higher-energy propellants to provide better performance, the name "Cajun" was applied to the rocket by the leader of PARD's rocket division, a native of New Orleans.
The Cajun rocket was constructed of stainless steel
Stainless steel
In metallurgy, stainless steel, also known as inox steel or inox from French "inoxydable", is defined as a steel alloy with a minimum of 10.5 or 11% chromium content by mass....
, with extruded Duraluminum stabilising fins. The rocket motor, developed by Thiokol
Thiokol
Thiokol is a U.S. corporation concerned initially with rubber and related chemicals, and later with rocket and missile propulsion systems...
, was capable of producing up to 42.7 kN (42,700 N) thrust.
Operational history
The first test launch of the Cajun rocket took place at the Wallops IslandWallops Island
Wallops Island is a island off the east coast of Virginia, part of the barrier islands that stretch along the eastern seaboard of the United States of America.It is located in Accomack County, Virginia...
range in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
on June 20, 1956. The rocket proved to be as successful as expected, and was quickly put into extensive use, both on its own and as an upper stage in the Nike Cajun (or CAN, 'Cajun And Nike'), first launched on July 6, 1956; and in the Terasca
Terasca
Terasca, or Terrier-ASROC-Cajun, was an American three-stage sounding rocket developed and launched by the United States Navy. Derived from a combination of the Terrier, ASROC and Cajun rockets, three launches were attempted during 1959, but only one was successful.-Design and development:The...
three-stage rocket, first launched May 1, 1959. Several other sounding rocket configurations made use of the Cajun stage, the most extensively used being the Cajun Dart
Cajun Dart
Cajun Dart is the designation of an American sounding rocket. The Cajun Dart was used 87 times between 1964 and 1970. The Cajun rocket motor was developed from Deacon....
; the Bullpup-Cajun and Double Cajun rockets also utilised the stage.
In total, over eight hundred launches of the Cajun rocket in its various configurations were conducted between 1956 and October 6, 1976, when the final Cajun flight, in the Nike-Cajun configuration, was undertaken at Wallops Island.