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VSB-30

VSB-30 [AEB]

S-31 S-30 Imp. Orion [DLR]

S-31 Improved Orion [SSC]

S-31 Improved Malemute [SSC]

The VSB-30 is a two stage Brazilian sounding rocket. It consists of a S-31 rocket as first stage combined with a VS-30 second stage.

The VSB-30 vehicle is a two-stage, unguided, rail launched sounding rocket, consisting of a solid propellant S31 rocket booster, a boost adapter, the second stage S30, payload, a recovery and a service systems. Motor and payload are connected by an adapter section and they are separated by pneumatic pistons. The vehicle is designed to fly in a spin stabilized unguided mode. The spin stabilization is achieved by using canted fins. To reduce impact dispersion, the vehicle is equipped with three spinup motors, installed in the booster adapter. The fins are arranged in the standard three-fin configuration and they are nominally set to 18’ (S31) and 21’ (S30), respectively, causing the vehicle to spin from lift-off through burnout. The roll rate at burnout is approximately 3.3 Hz. Total burn time for the S31 is 13.5 seconds and 29.0 seconds for the S30. Both motors have a 55.7 cm diameter. The typical length is 12.6 m, depending on the payload.

The rocket can carry a payload of 400 kg to an altitude of 270 km.

The rocket has been used from a number of launch sites: Alcantara in Brazil and Andøya and Esrange in northern Europe. A launch from Woomera is also planned.

The S-31 improved Orion is a combination of the VSB-30 stage 1 booster with the US built improved Orion as upper stage.

This combination was devloped for The O-STATES mission to be launched from Esrange. It carries a payload of 225 kg to an altitude of 240 km.

The S-31 improved Malemute is a combination of the VSB-30 stage 1 booster with the US built improved Malemute as upper stage.

Version Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3
VSB-30 S-31 S-30 -
S-31 S-30 Improved Orion (VSB-30 Improved Orion) S-31 S-30 improved Orion / M112
S-31 Improved Orion S-31 improved Orion / M112 -
S-31 Improved Malemute S-31 Improved Malemute (TX-486-1) -
Nr TypeNr  Vehicle                  Serial   Date              LS         Payload

40    1    VSB-30                   XV-01    29.09.2004  *     Al         Cajuana
42    2    VSB-30                   V02      01.12.2005  *     Es S       TEXUS 42 (EML 1)
43    3    VSB-30                   V03      10.05.2006  *     Es S       TEXUS 43
44    4    VSB-30                   V04      19.07.2007  *     Al         Cumã II
47    5    VSB-30                   V05      07.02.2008  *     Es S       TEXUS 44 (EML 2)
48    6    VSB-30                   V06      21.02.2008  *     Es S       TEXUS 45
49    7    VSB-30                   V08      15.05.2008  *     Es S       MASER 11
51    8    VSB-30                   V09      22.11.2009  *     Es S       TEXUS 46
52    9    VSB-30                   V10      29.11.2009  *     Es S       TEXUS 47
53   10    VSB-30                   V07      12.12.2010  *     Al         MICROG 1A
54   11    VSB-30                   V15      29.03.2011  *     Es S       TEXUS 49
55   12    VSB-30                   V14      27.11.2011  *     Es S       TEXUS 48
58   13    VSB-30                   V16      13.02.2012  *     Es S       MASER 12
62   14    VSB-30                   V17      12.04.2013  *     Es S       TEXUS 50
68   15    VSB-30                   V20      22.02.2015  *     Es S       CRYOFENIX
70   16    VSB-30                   V13      30.03.2015  *     And        HIFiRE 7
71   17    VSB-30                   V18      23.04.2015  *     Es S       TEXUS 51
72   18    VSB-30                   V21      27.04.2015  *     Es S       TEXUS 52
73   19    VSB-30                   V24      30.06.2015  *     Es S       MAPHEUS 5
74    1    S-31 Impr. Orion         V01      02.10.2015  *     Es MAN     O-STATES 1
75    2    S-31 Impr. Orion         V02      19.10.2015  *     Es MAN     O-STATES 2
76   20    VSB-30                   V22      01.12.2015  *     Es S       MASER 13
77   21    VSB-30                   V23      23.01.2016  *     Es S       TEXUS 53
80   22    VSB-30                   V11      07.12.2016  * P   Al         MICROG 2
81   23    VSB-30                   V19      23.01.2017  *     Es S       MAIUS 1
82   24    VSB-30                   V24      13.05.2017  *     Es S       MAPHEUS 6
83   25    VSB-30                   V12      30.06.2017  *     Wo         HIFiRE 4a / HIFiRE 4b
84    1    S-31 Impr. Malemute      V01      17.02.2018  *     Es S       MAPHEUS 7
85   26    VSB-30                   V26      13.05.2018  *     Es S       TEXUS 54
86   27    VSB-30                   V27      31.05.2018  *     Es S       TEXUS 55
88   28    VSB-30                            13.06.2019  *     Es S       ATEK/MAPHEUS 8
89   29    VSB-30                            24.06.2019  *     Es S       MASER 14
90   30    VSB-30                            15.11.2019  *     Es S       TEXUS 56
91    3    S-31 Impr. Orion                  23.06.2021  *     Es MAN     BOLT 1
92   31    VSB-30                   V32      14.12.2021  *     Al         14-XS
93    1    S-31 S-30 Impr. Orion             26.06.2022  *     And        STORT
94   32    VSB-30                            01.10.2022  *     Es MAN     TEXUS 57
95   33    VSB-30                   V29      23.10.2022  *     Al         MQ-PSM
96   34    VSB-30                            23.11.2022  *     Es MAN     MASER 15 (SubOrbital Express 3)
97   35    VSB-30                            24.04.2023  * P   Es MAN     TEXUS 58
98    4    S-31 Impr. Orion                  10.10.2023  *     Es MAN     HIFLIER 1
99   36    VSB-30                            04.12.2023  *     Es S       MAIUS 2
100  37    VSB-30                            15.02.2024  *     Es S       TEXUS 59


planned:

xx   xx    VSB-30                            xx.xx.2022  *     Es         CRYOFENIX 2 ?
xx   xx    VSB-30                            xx.xx.2023  *     Es         MAIUS 3
xx   xx    VSB-30                            xx.xx.2024  *     Koo        ReFEx
xx   xx    VSB-30                            xx.xx.2023  *     ?          S1X-M16
xx   xx    VSB-30                            xx.xx.2023  *     Es         TEXUS 60
xx   xx    VSB-30                            xx.xx.2024  *     Es         TEXUS 61
xx   xx    VSB-30                            xx.xx.2024  *     Es         TEXUS 62
xx   xx    VSB-30                            xx.xx.2025  *     Es         TEXUS 63


Launch sites:

Al  = Alcantara Space Center (CLA), Brazil Brazil
And = Andøya Space Center (Andøya Rocket Range), Andøya, Nordland, Norway Norway
Es  = ESRANGE, Kiruna, Sweden Sweden
Koo = Koonibba Test Range, Koonibba, South Australia, Australia Australia
Wo  = Woomera Instrumented Range, Woomera, South Australia, Australia Australia

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