Skua (rocket)

File:Skua rocket.png

Skua is the designation of a British sounding rocket which was launched between 1959 and 1981 in four versions over 300 times.{{Cite web |title=Skua |url=http://www.astronautix.com/s/skua.html |access-date=2023-09-05 |website=www.astronautix.com}}{{Cite web |title=Skua 1 |url=http://www.astronautix.com/s/skua1.html |access-date=2023-09-05 |website=www.astronautix.com}}{{Cite web |title=Skua 2 |url=http://www.astronautix.com/s/skua2.html |access-date=2023-09-05 |website=www.astronautix.com}}{{Cite web |title=Skua 3 |url=http://www.astronautix.com/s/skua3.html |access-date=2023-09-05 |website=www.astronautix.com}}{{Cite web |title=Skua 4 |url=http://www.astronautix.com/s/skua4.html |access-date=2023-09-05 |website=www.astronautix.com}}{{Cite web |title=Skua Sounding Rocket {{!}} Science Museum Group Collection |url=https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objects/co8407524/skua-sounding-rocket-rocket |access-date=2023-09-05 |website=collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=South Uist (Outer Hebrides), early 1970s |url=https://www.mssl.ucl.ac.uk/heritage/John_Raymont_memoirs/south_uist.html |access-date=2023-09-05 |website=UCL DEPARTMENT OF SPACE & CLIMATE PHYSICS - MULLARD SPACE SCIENCE LABORATORY}} The Skua was developed by Bristol Aerojet and RPE Wescott.

It consisted of a starting stage made up of several Chick rockets (like the Petrel) that burned for 0.2 seconds. They propelled the rocket 20 metres over the 5-metre-long launch tube.{{Cite web |title=Skua Rocket |url=https://library.metoffice.gov.uk/Portal/Default/en-GB/recordview/index/631772 |access-date=2023-09-05 |website=National Meteorological Library & Archive}} After that, the Bantam main stage ignited. The solid rocket motor of the main stage had an end-burning propellant grain and burned for 30 seconds.{{Cite web |last=Serra |first=Jean-Jacques |date=2005-02-07 |title=Skua and Petrel rockets |url=http://www.univ-perp.fr/fuseurop/skupe_e.htm |access-date=2023-09-06 |website=European Rockets|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050207182449/http://www.univ-perp.fr/fuseurop/skupe_e.htm |archive-date=2005-02-07 }} The starting stage descended on parachutes and was re-filled and re-used.{{Cite book |last=Bollerman |first=B. |url=https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/19700020646 |title=A Study of 30 Km to 200 Km Meteorological Rocket Sounding Systems |date=1970 |publisher=NASA |volume=1. Part 2 - Literature and Data Review |pages=281-282, 283-284 |chapter=Skua |id=NASA-CR-1529-PT-2}}

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.{{cite web | url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/77427-strongest-jetstream | title=Strongest jetstream | date=13 December 1967 }}