Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 11, 2026

Astrobee

Astrobee is the designation of series of American sounding rockets with one to three stages.

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Jul 11, 2026
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Astrobee is the designation of series of American sounding rockets with one to three stages.12345678910

Designed by Aerojet, this family of solid-propellant rockets was conceived as a lower-cost replacement of the liquid-propellant Aerobee.123456789

Versions

Astrobee 500

The three-stage Astrobee 500 (first stage: Genius, second stage: Alcor, third stage: Asp) has a ceiling of 1000 km, a takeoff thrust of 161 kN, a takeoff weight of 900 kg, a diameter of 0.38 m and a length of 7.80 m.23 It was launched one time in 1960.3

  • Astrobee-500
    Astrobee-500

Astrobee 1500

The three-stage Astrobee 1500 (first stage: Recruit, second stage: Aero jet, third stage: Alcor) has a ceiling of 1000 km, a takeoff thrust of 566 kN, a takeoff weight of 5200 kg, a diameter of 0.79 m and a length of 10.40 m.4 It was launched ten times between 1961 and 1969.4

  • Astrobee 1500
    Astrobee 1500
  • Astrobee 1500
    Astrobee 1500
  • Astrobee 1500
    Astrobee 1500

Astrobee 200

The two-stage Astrobee 200 (first stage: Nike, second stage: Alcor),11 has a ceiling of 350 km, a takeoff thrust of 161 kN, a takeoff weight of 800 kg, a diameter of 0.38 m and a length of 6.30 m. It was launched ten times between 1961 and 19665

  • Astrobee 200
    Astrobee 200

Astrobee D

The single-stage Astrobee D has a ceiling of 140 km, a takeoff thrust of 23.00 kN, a takeoff weight of 100 kg, a diameter of 0.15 m and a length of 3.90 m.6712 It was launched forty-two times between 1970 and 1980.7

Astrobee F

The single-stage Astrobee F has a ceiling of 375 km, a takeoff thrust of 178.00 kN, a takeoff weight of 1500 kg, a diameter of 0.38 m and a length of 11.50 m.89 It was launched forty-nine times between 1972 and 1983.9

References

References

  1. "Astrobee". astronautix.com. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  2. "Astrobee 500". astronautix.com. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  3. "Astrobee-500". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  4. "Astrobee 1500". astronautix.com. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  5. "Astrobee 200". astronautix.com. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  6. "Astrobee D". astronautix.com. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  7. "Astrobee-D". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  8. "Astrobee F". astronautix.com. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  9. "Astrobee-F". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  10. "Aerojet General Astrobee". www.designation-systems.net. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  11. "Astrobee-200". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2025-01-19.
  12. Bollermann, B. (May 1, 1971). "Astrobee D". Study of 30 km to 200 km meteorological rocket sounding systems. Vol. 2 - Recent advancements. NASA. pp. 104–105. NASA-CR-1790.