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Star (rocket stage)
The Star is a family of US solid-propellant rocket motors originally developed by Thiokol and used by many space propulsion and launch vehicle stages. They are used almost exclusively as upper stages, often as apogee kick motors. The number designations refer to the approximate diameter of the fuel casing in inches.
Three Star 37 stages, and one Star 48 stage, were launched on solar escape trajectories; fast enough to leave the Sun's orbit and out into interstellar space, where barring the low chance of colliding with debris, they will travel past other stars in the Milky Way galaxy and survive potentially intact for millions of years.
The Star 13 (TE-M-458) is a solid fuel apogee kick motor. It was used on NASA's Anchored Interplanetary Monitoring Platform satellites. Several other versions were developed. Star 13D (TE-M-375) was used on the Syncom 1, Star 13A (TE-M-516) on LES 1/2, Aurora (P67-1), Orbiscal (P68-1), Lincoln Calibration Sphere 4, S3-2, Solrad 11A/B, SPX plume generator package, Freja, Meteor and Equator-S, Star 13C (TE-M-345-11/12) on AMSAT P3A and Star 13B (TE-M-763) on AMPTE-CCE payloads.
The Star 17 (TE-M-479) is a solid fuel apogee kick motor, first launched in 1963. It was used for payloads such as Radio Astronomy Explorer, SOLRAD and S3 satellites. The Star 17A (TE-M-521-5) version was used for orbit circularization on Skynet 1, NATO 1, IMP-H and IMP-J satellites.
The Star 20 (TE-M-640) is a solid fuel apogee kick motor, also known as Altair-3A. It was used as a second stage on an Atlas-E/F vehicle launching Stacksat. The TE-M-640 motor is similar to Altair 3 (FW-4S), and both are designated by NASA as Altair IIIA.
The Star 24 (TE-M-604) is a solid fuel apogee kick motor, first qualified in 1973. It burns an 86% solids carboxyl-terminated polybutadiene (CTPB)[broken anchor]-based composite propellant. The "24" designation refers to the approximate diameter of the Titanium fuel casing in inches.
The Star 26 (Burner 2A or TE-M-442) is an upper stage motor used in Burner II stage of the Sandia Strypi IV vehicle introduced in 1965. The Star 26B (TE-M-442-1) variant was used on the Thor-LV2F Burner-2A launcher. Star 26C (TE-M-442-2) was used on the DOT sounding rocket.
The Star 27 is a solid apogee kick motor, with the 27 representing the approximate diameter of the stage in inches. It burns HTPB-based composite propellant with an average erosion rate of 0.0011 inches per second (0.028 mm/s).
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Star (rocket stage)
The Star is a family of US solid-propellant rocket motors originally developed by Thiokol and used by many space propulsion and launch vehicle stages. They are used almost exclusively as upper stages, often as apogee kick motors. The number designations refer to the approximate diameter of the fuel casing in inches.
Three Star 37 stages, and one Star 48 stage, were launched on solar escape trajectories; fast enough to leave the Sun's orbit and out into interstellar space, where barring the low chance of colliding with debris, they will travel past other stars in the Milky Way galaxy and survive potentially intact for millions of years.
The Star 13 (TE-M-458) is a solid fuel apogee kick motor. It was used on NASA's Anchored Interplanetary Monitoring Platform satellites. Several other versions were developed. Star 13D (TE-M-375) was used on the Syncom 1, Star 13A (TE-M-516) on LES 1/2, Aurora (P67-1), Orbiscal (P68-1), Lincoln Calibration Sphere 4, S3-2, Solrad 11A/B, SPX plume generator package, Freja, Meteor and Equator-S, Star 13C (TE-M-345-11/12) on AMSAT P3A and Star 13B (TE-M-763) on AMPTE-CCE payloads.
The Star 17 (TE-M-479) is a solid fuel apogee kick motor, first launched in 1963. It was used for payloads such as Radio Astronomy Explorer, SOLRAD and S3 satellites. The Star 17A (TE-M-521-5) version was used for orbit circularization on Skynet 1, NATO 1, IMP-H and IMP-J satellites.
The Star 20 (TE-M-640) is a solid fuel apogee kick motor, also known as Altair-3A. It was used as a second stage on an Atlas-E/F vehicle launching Stacksat. The TE-M-640 motor is similar to Altair 3 (FW-4S), and both are designated by NASA as Altair IIIA.
The Star 24 (TE-M-604) is a solid fuel apogee kick motor, first qualified in 1973. It burns an 86% solids carboxyl-terminated polybutadiene (CTPB)[broken anchor]-based composite propellant. The "24" designation refers to the approximate diameter of the Titanium fuel casing in inches.
The Star 26 (Burner 2A or TE-M-442) is an upper stage motor used in Burner II stage of the Sandia Strypi IV vehicle introduced in 1965. The Star 26B (TE-M-442-1) variant was used on the Thor-LV2F Burner-2A launcher. Star 26C (TE-M-442-2) was used on the DOT sounding rocket.
The Star 27 is a solid apogee kick motor, with the 27 representing the approximate diameter of the stage in inches. It burns HTPB-based composite propellant with an average erosion rate of 0.0011 inches per second (0.028 mm/s).