UPPER AIR ROCKET SUMMARY                                                                       V-2
                                                                                                                           NO. 53
IDENTIFICATION                                                                            17 February 1950

    Time of firing: 1101 MST
    Agency: Naval Research Laboratory
    Altitude: 92.4 miles

UPPER AIR INSTRUMENTS

    Pressure-temperature: Stagnation pressure on nose tip, pressure on nose cone and
        tail section
    Cosmic radiation: Geiger counter telescope. Ilford nuclear emulsions.
    Solar radiation: Thermoluminescent receiver. Soft x-ray film detectors.

DATA RECOVERY INSTRUMENTS

    Telemeter: NRL 30-channel AN/DKT-2(XN-1) pulse position system
    Airborne recorder: NRL 12-channel CR photographic recorder
    Physical recovery: Nose cone separation explosives in control chamber

BALLISTIC INSTRUMENTS

    Firing Range
        Theodolites: Three Mitchell stations
        Cameras: Three ballistic and three Bowen-Knapp stations
        Telescopes: Four stations
        Radar: Two SCR-584 S-band radars
        Impact location: Impact point computer

    Airborne
        Beacon: APN-55 S-band
        Radio Cutoff: DRW-4 command fuel cutoff and blowoff
        Aspect: Roll, pitch, and yaw aspect gyros. NRL aspect cameras.
        Other: BRL spectro camera

ROCKET INFORMATION

    Payload weight: 3140 lb
    Unfueled rocket weight: 9900 lb
    Unfueled rocket C.G.: 252.8 in. (above burner base)
    Gross weight at takeoff: 29,433 lb

ROCKET PERFORMANCE

    Time to burnout: 64.4 sec
    Velocity at burnout: 4830 ft/sec
    Altitude at burnout: 21.7 miles
    Time to zenith: 222 sec.
    Altitude to zenith: 92.4 miles
    Time to tail blowoff: 337.3 sec
    Altitude at blowoff: 56 miles (approximately
    Flight duration: 515.4 sec (impact of main body)
    Impact coordinates: 40.5 mi. north, 2 mi. west

BALLISTIC DATA

    Theodolites: Mitchell trajectory data from 0 to 70 sec, Askania trajectory data
        from 0 to 70 sec
    Cameras: Bowen-Knapp and ballistic cameras - complete data
    Telescopes: Altitude data from 0 to 60 sec
    Radar: Trajectory data from 0 to 273 sec
    Impact location: Predicted within 1.5 miles

DATA RECOVERY

    Telemeter: Strong signals received. No break in record until 337 sec
    Physical recovery: 20% of thermoluminescent strips recovered in good condition.
        cosmic ray film pack was total loss. ONe aspect camera total loss, film badly
        damaged in the other but usable. Most of x-ray detectors recovered.
    Airborne recorder: Recorder film damaged but usable

COMMENTS

    Rocket modifications: A .38 caliber, 0.22 in. long cylinder inserted in aluminum
        nose cone
    Rocket performance: Rocket performance slightly better than normal

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