Lorikeet

Lorikeet

The Lorikeet was an Australian-designed sounding rockets developed by the WRE (Weapons Research Establishment), that was used at Woomera for research into the upper atmosphere. These rockets usually carried a dropsonde, which was released at a height of approximately 75 km.

Dorado rocket motors were used as first stage engines. Dorado, was an Australian modification of the British-designed Demon rocket motor, filled with an Australian solid fuel, to give twice the power of the original design. It was developed over several years as a low-priority project of the Rocket Propulsion Group, and was also used as a second stage the Australian-designed Corella sounding rockets.

More than 15 Lorikeet rockets were launched at Woomera.