Accession Number:

AD0255950

Title:

RADAR AND OPTICAL OBSERVATIONS ON REENTRY OF THE TRAILBLAZER I (D-58) TEST VEHICLE OF MARCH 29, 1960

Descriptive Note:

Corporate Author:

MASSACHUSETTS INST OF TECH LEXINGTON LINCOLN LAB

Personal Author(s):

• KASNITZ,HAROLD L.

Report Date:

1960-06-01

Pagination or Media Count:

1.0

Abstract:

The Trailblazer I-a vehicle was observed by the Wallops Island S-band tracker and the UHF Millstone Hill radar. The vehicle malfunctioned during or after the firing of the 4th stage T-40 motor. The Wallops Island S-band radar tracked the T-40 and observed the reentry into the atmosphere at a velocity of 8,500 fps. This reentry was simultaneously observed by Millstone over the altitude region of 328,000 ft to 179,000 ft. Subsequent to T-40 firing and prior to the event above, the Millstone radar obtained a short track on a target different from the T-40. Definitive identification of this target is not possible. The most probable identification is the T-55 fifth stage rocket motor. No visual or photographic observations of a luminous reentry were obtained. A series of short duration quasi-periodic spikes observed during the deceleration of the probable T-40 is described. Author

Descriptors:

• *DOPPLER SYSTEMS
• *RADAR TRACKING
• *REENTRY VEHICLES
• *STARTING
• *TRACKING
• EXPERIMENTAL DATA
• FLIGHT PATHS
• GUIDED MISSILE TRACKING SYSTEMS
• GUIDED MISSILE TRAJECTORIES
• GUIDED MISSILES
• OPTICAL TRACKING
• ROCKET TRAJECTORIES
• S BAND
• TEST VEHICLES

Subject Categories:

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE