Able (rocket stage)

Able rocket stage

Able rocket stage, is the second stage in the Vanguard rocket cutaway view

Able rocket stage engine in the foreground

Able rocket stage was a rocket stage manufactured in the United States by Aerojet for the Vanguard rockets used in the Vanguard project from 1957 to 1959. The rocket engine stage use as a rocket propellant Nitric acid and UDMH. Able rocket stage was the second of three stages on the multistage rocket Vanguard. The Able rocket stage was discontinued in 1960. A further improved versions were used in the upper stage in the Thor rocket family (Thor-Able). An upgrade to the Able Stage was the Thor-Ablestar rocket. The Ablestar second stage was an enlarged version of the Able rocket stage, which gave the Thor-Ablestar a greater payload capacity compared to the Thor-Able. It also incorporated restart capabilities, allowing a multiple-burn trajectory to be flown, further increasing payload, or allowing the rocket to reach different orbits. It was the first rocket to be developed with such a capability and development of the stage took a mere eight months.^[1]

Some Able rocket stage parts were also used as the engine of Apollo Service Module.^[2] The Able stage name represents its place as the first in the series, from the Joint Army/Navy Phonetic Alphabet.^[3]

To save weight Aerojet use an aluminum tube for the engine thrust chamber. The engine used on Vanguard was an AJ10-37. On later Able models rockets the AJ10-41 and AJ10-42 engines were used. Aerojet made 21 Able rocket stage for use on rockets.^[4] Vanguard project launched 11 of the Able stages, three were able to put satellites into orbit: Vanguard 1, Vanguard 2 and Vanguard 3. Able rocket stage and the Vanguard project were an important part of the space race between the USA and Soviet union. While the Able rocket stage ended in 1960, the AJ10 engines used in the Able rocket stage continue to be used on later rockets and are still in use. In honor of the rocket stage during an animals in space test, a rhesus monkey name Miss Able, flew with Miss Baker on May 28, 1959.^[5]

Specifications

• Loaded gross mass: 1,884 kg (4,154 lb)
• Empty - un-fueled mass 34.69 kg (76.5 lb)
• Thrust 34.69 kN (7,800 lb_f)
• Vacuum specific impulse 270 seconds
• Height: 5.67 m (18.6 ft)
• Diameter: .81 m (2 ft 8 in)
• Span: .84 m (2 ft 9 in)
• Specific impulse: 270 seconds.
• Burn time: 115 seconds.

See also

• Thor (rocket family)
  • Thor-Able
  • Thor-Agena
  • Thor-Delta
• Atlas-Able
• Thor-Ablestar
• Multistage rocket
  • Three-stage-to-orbit
  • Two-stage-to-orbit
  • Single-stage-to-orbit

References

Thor and Delta rockets
PGM-17 Thor Thor family Delta family
Rockets	Thor Thor Thor-Able Thor-Ablestar Thor-Agena Thor-Burner Thor-Delta Thor DSV-2 Thor DSV-2U Thorad-Agena Delta Alphabetical Delta A Delta B Delta C Delta D Delta E Delta F Delta G Delta J Delta L Delta M Delta N Numerical Delta 0100 Delta 1000 Delta 2000 Delta 3000 Delta 4000 Delta 5000 Delta 6000 Delta 7000 Delta 8000 Delta 9000 Modern Delta II Delta III Delta IV Export N-I N-II H-I
Launch sites	Canaveral (S)LC-17 LC-18B SLC-37B Johnston LE-1 LE-2 Tanegashima Osaki Vandenberg SLC-1 SLC-2 SLC-3 SLC-6 SLC-10 Bases Bardney Breighton Caistor Carnaby Catfoss Coleby Grange Driffield Feltwell Folkingham Full Sutton Harrington Hemswell Ludford Magna Melton Mowbray Mepal North Luffenham North Pickenham Polebrook Shepherds Grove Tuddenham
Components	Boosters Castor-1 Castor-1 Castor-4 Castor-4A CBC GEM-40 GEM-46 GEM-60 First stages Common Booster Core Upper Stages Delta Delta-A Delta-D Delta-E Delta-F Delta-K Delta-P DCSS Other Able Ablestar Agena Altair Burner FW-4D IABS PAM-D Star UM-129 Engines AJ10 B-8048 B-8081 B-8096 LE-5 LR-79 R-4D RL10 RS-27 RS-68 TR-201
Manufacturers	Rocket Douglas McDonnell Douglas Boeing United Launch Alliance Engines Aerojet Alliant Rocketdyne Thiokol TRW
Launches	1957–1959 1960–1969 1970–1979 1980–1989 1990–1999 2000–2009 2010–2019