Skua is the designation of a British sounding rocket which was launched between 1959 and 1981 in four versions over 300 times.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]} The Skua was developed by Bristol Aerojet and RPE Wescott.^[1]

It consisted of a starting stage made up of several Chick rockets (like the Petrel) that burned for 0.2 seconds.^[1] They propelled the rocket 20 metres over the 5-metre-long launch tube.^[1][8] After that, the Bantam main stage ignited.

The fastest Jet stream velocity ever measured (656 km/h or 408 mph) was recorded by instruments on board a Skua rocket above South Uist, Outer Hebrides, Scotland at an altitude of 47,000 m (154,200 ft), on 13 December 1967.^[9]

Versions

There were four versions of the Skua rocket:^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

References

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