26.05.2021
STEM & Education
The History of the UK’s Black Arrow Rocket Programme
Black Arrow ProgrammeWhat is Black Arrow? The Black Arrow programme is of immense technical and historical importance in the UK, having played a revolutionary role in placing the first UK-designed and manufactured artificial satellite into Earth’s orbit. Throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s, the rocketry programme developed from early UK-conducted space research and experimental programmes carried out by the Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE) in Farnborough. These experimental programmes involved design and construction projects in line with advances within the space industry; a series of various launch vehicles and rocket engines; and all associated ground-based test facilities and launch infrastructure in both the UK and in Woomera, Australia. The initial purpose of the Black Arrow programme was to investigate whether or not a rocket constructed using existing processes and technologies would be capable of launch satellites into space. Black Arrow Rocket Development The Black Arrow rocket instigated from a proposal by the RAE for a launch vehicle with the ability of launching a 144kg artificial satellite into low Earth orbit with the purpose of testing rocketry systems previously designed for larger spacecrafts. The Black Arrow programme was authorised in 1964, though was quickly put on hold due to government reduction in expenditure.
