Aerobee RTV-A-1a

Mission Profile

The Aerobee RTV-A-1a was a two-stage American sounding rocket in the Aerobee family, a slightly improved production variant of the original Aerobee with minor performance upgrades. Standing 5.8 m tall with a 0.4 m diameter and a liftoff mass of 728 kg, it generated 12 kN of sustainer thrust. First flying in October 1951, the Aerobee RTV-A-1a continued the prolific programme of high-altitude atmospheric, solar, and cosmic ray research that made the Aerobee one of the most frequently launched American sounding rockets of the 1950s.