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Rocket sled

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Lt. Col. John P. Stapp rides the rocket sled at Edwards Air Force Base
For rocket launches assisted by non-rocket powered guideways, see rocket sled launch.

A rocket sled is a test platform that slides along a track (e.g. set of rails), propelled by rockets.

Sonic Wind No 1. This rocket sled was ridden by John Paul Stapp in the 1950s.

A rocket sled differs from a rocket car in not using wheels; at high speeds wheels would spin to pieces due to the extreme centrifugal forces. Apart from rare examples running on snow or ice (such as Max Valier's RAK BOBs of the late 1920s[1] and Harry Bull's BR-1 in 1931[2]), most rocket sleds run on a track. Although some rocket sleds ride on single beams or rails, most use a pair of rails. Standard gauge (1.435 m / 56.5 in) is common but sled tracks of narrower or wider gauge also exist. The rail cross-section profile is usually that of a Vignoles rail, commonly used for railroads. Sliding pads, called "slippers", are curved around the head of the rails to prevent the sled from flying off the track. Air cushions and magnetic levitation have also been used as alternatives, with potential benefits including reduced sled vibration.

A rocket sled holds the land-based speed record for a vehicle, at Mach 8.5.[3]

Usage

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The vehicle that achieved Mach 8.5
The Holloman Air Force Base track

Rocket sleds were used extensively early in the Cold War to accelerate equipment considered too experimental (hazardous) for testing directly in piloted aircraft. The equipment to be tested under high acceleration or high airspeed conditions was installed along with appropriate instrumentation, data recording and telemetry equipment on the sled. The sled was then accelerated according to the experiment's design requirements for data collection along a length of isolated, precisely level and straight test track. Testing ejection seat systems and technology prior to their use in experimental or operational aircraft was a common application of the rocket sled at Holloman Air Force Base. Perhaps the most famous, the tracks at Edwards Air Force Base were used to test missiles, supersonic ejection seats, aircraft shapes and the effects of acceleration and deceleration on humans. The rocket sled track at Edwards Air Force Base was dismantled and used to extend the track at Holloman Air Force Base, taking it to almost 10 miles (16 km) in length.

Unmanned rocket sleds continue to be used to test missile components without requiring costly live missile launches. A world speed record of Mach 8.5 (6,416 mph / 10,325 km/h) was achieved by a four-stage rocket sled at Holloman Air Force Base on April 30, 2003, the highest speed ever attained by a land vehicle.[4]

Murphy's law first received public attention during a press conference about rocket sled testing.[5]

Rocket Sled Tracks

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Name Location Co-ordinates Country Length Gauge Rail Type Welded/
Segmented 		Opened Renovated Closed Notes
Holloman High Speed Test Track (HHSTT) Rails 1&2 Holloman AFB, Alamogordo, NM 32°53′17″N 106°09′01″W / 32.8881°N 106.1502°W / 32.8881; -106.1502 USA 50,971 ft
(15.536 km) 		84 in
(2.1 m) 		171 Welded 1950[6] 1956, 1957, 1974, 2000, 2002 Runs North-South
Supersonic Naval Ordnance Research Track (SNORT) NAWC-WD Naval Air Weapons Station, China Lake, CA 35°42′17″N 117°44′27″W / 35.7047°N 117.7408°W / 35.7047; -117.7408 USA 21,550 ft
(6.568 km) 		56.5 in
(1.435 m) 		171 Welded 1953 2006 North-South
Holloman High Speed Test Track (HHSTT) Rail 3 Holloman AFB, Alamogordo, NM 32°58′07″N 106°09′25″W / 32.9687°N 106.15688°W / 32.9687; -106.15688 USA 20,200 ft
(6.157 km) 		26.3 in
(0.67 m) 		171 Welded 1974 North-South
Extended High-Speed Rocket Sled Track Edwards AFB, Edwards, CA 34°48′53″N 117°54′30″W / 34.81485°N 117.9084°W / 34.81485; -117.9084 USA 20,000 ft
(6.096 km) 		56.5 in
(1.435 m) 		171 Welded 1949 1959 1963 Also known as South Base Sled Track (SBST). Rails used to lengthen HHSTT
Rail Track Rocket Sled Test Facility[7][8] Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory Range, Ramgarh, Haryana 30°38′29″N 76°55′21″E / 30.641470°N 76.922399°E / 30.641470; 76.922399 India 3.8 km
(12,467 ft) 		0.7–4.86 m
(28–191 in) 		1988 2014 5 rails
North/South
Supersonic Military Air Research Track (SMART) Aircraft Interior Products Propulsion Systems, Hurricane Mesa, UT 37°14′18″N 113°13′13″W / 37.2384°N 113.22037°W / 37.2384; -113.22037 USA 12,000 ft
(3.658 km) 		56.5 in
(1.435 m) 		105 Welded 1955 1961* *Now Privately Owned & Operational.
North-South
Sandia 2 Technical Area III, Kirtland AFB, Albuquerque, NM 34°59′57″N 106°33′23″W / 34.9992°N 106.55646°W / 34.9992; -106.55646 USA 10,000 ft
(3.048 km) 		0.56 m
(22 in) 		1966 1985 North-South
Rocket rail track 3500, FKP GkNIPAS Beloozyorsky 55°29′12″N 38°29′54″E / 55.48677°N 38.49836°E / 55.48677; 38.49836 Russia 3.5 km
(11,480 ft) 		Segmented 2014 Formerly RD-2500. Used by Zvezda for ejection seat testing
RT-2650, FKP NII Geodeziya Krasnoarmeysk 56°07′08″N 38°12′12″E / 56.11901°N 38.20345°E / 56.11901; 38.20345 Russia 2,650 m
(8,694 ft) 		R-75 1956 1984
TsKP MIK of RFNC-VNIIEF Sarov 54°49′16″N 43°15′11″E / 54.8212°N 43.2530°E / 54.8212; 43.2530 Russia 3.0 km
(9,843 ft)
B-4 Transonic Test Track NAWC-WD Naval Air Weapons Station, China Lake, CA 35°42′23″N 117°48′19″W / 35.7063°N 117.80516°W / 35.7063; -117.80516 USA 6,800 ft
(2,073 m) 		56.5 in
(1.435 m) 		75 Welded 1940
Martin-Baker Langford Lodge Langford Lodge, Northern Ireland 54°37′33″N 6°17′56″W / 54.62581°N 6.29895°W / 54.62581; -6.29895 UK 6,200 ft
(1,890 m) 		30 in
(0.762 m) 		80 1971 Privately Owned & Operated by Martin-Baker
Pendine Long Test Track (LTT) QinetiQ, Pendine, Wales 51°44′17″N 4°29′48″W / 51.73801°N 4.49680°W / 51.73801; -4.49680 UK 1,500 m
(4,921 ft) 		12 in
(0.305 m) 		103 1956
Centre D'essais Des Landes Single Rail R1[9] Biscarrosse 44°20′47″N 1°14′11″W / 44.34641°N 1.23640°W / 44.34641; -1.23640 France 2.0 km
(6,562 ft) 		Monorail Square Beam Segmented 1968 1974, ? (Foundation for 2nd rail in place)
G-4 Exterior and Terminal Ballistics Test Track NAWC-WD Naval Air Weapons Station, China Lake, CA 35°52′05″N 117°43′51″W / 35.86793°N 117.73071°W / 35.86793; -117.73071 USA 3,000 ft
(914 m) 		33.875 in
(0.860 m) 		171 Welded 1954
ETTC KEMTF sled track Test Area C-74, Eglin AFB, Ft. Walton Beach, FL 30°41′06″N 86°19′38″W / 30.68503°N 86.32713°W / 30.68503; -86.32713 USA 2,000 ft
(610 m) 		56.5 in
(1.435 m) 		171 Welded 1956
Sandia 1 Technical Area III, Kirtland AFB, Albuquerque, NM 34°59′22″N 106°32′39″W / 34.98955°N 106.54407°W / 34.98955; -106.54407 USA 2,000 ft
(610 m) 		56.5 in
(1.435 m) 		1951 North-South
Edwards North Base Track "G-Whiz" Edwards AFB, Edwards, CA 34°59′47″N 117°51′29″W / 34.99641°N 117.85798°W / 34.99641; -117.85798 USA 2,000 ft
(610 m) 		Welded 1944 1953 Also known as North Base Sled Track (NBST).
East-West
Redstone Test Center Sled Track 1 Test Area 1, Redstone Arsenal, AL 34°36′14″N 86°38′42″W / 34.60375°N 86.64504°W / 34.60375; -86.64504 USA 1,900 ft
(579 m) 		Monorail 1956 Formerly Redstone Technical Test Center
Pendine Impact Test Track QinetiQ, Pendine, Wales 51°44′29″N 4°30′26″W / 51.74125°N 4.50728°W / 51.74125; -4.50728 UK 400 m
(1,312 ft) 		56.5 in
(1.435 m)
Centre D'essais Des Landes Single Rail R2[9] Biscarrosse 44°21′11″N 1°13′49″W / 44.35312°N 1.23039°W / 44.35312; -1.23039 France 400 m
(1,312 ft) 		0.60 m
(24 in) 		Square Beam Segmented 1967 Former HB3 track, moved from CIEES Colomb-Béchar, Algeria
Redstone Test Center Sled Track 2 Test Area 1, Redstone Arsenal, AL 34°36′06″N 86°38′22″W / 34.60173°N 86.63935°W / 34.60173; -86.63935 USA 1,200 ft
(366 m) 		Monorail Formerly Redstone Technical Test Center
New Mexico Tech/EMRTC Sled Track Socorro, NM 34°01′25″N 106°58′41″W / 34.02348°N 106.97819°W / 34.02348; -106.97819 USA 1,000 ft
(305 m) 		Monorail 171 Privately owned & operated.
North-South
Pendine Short Test Track (STT) QinetiQ, Pendine, Wales 51°44′38″N 4°30′33″W / 51.74375°N 4.50908°W / 51.74375; -4.50908 UK 200 m
(656 ft)
General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems Rock Hill, FL 30°36′54″N 86°05′47″W / 30.61492°N 86.09640°W / 30.61492; -86.09640 USA 656 ft
(200 m) 		I-Beam Privately Owned & Operated
Alkantpan Rocket Sled Range Alkantpan Test Range, Copperton, Northern Cape 29°56′50″S 22°13′36″E / 29.94715°S 22.22665°E / -29.94715; 22.22665 South Africa 200 m
(656 ft) 		0.5 m
(19.7 in) 		Single or Double I-beam Segmented 1985 1999 Runs East to West

Subsonic and supersonic testing

Holloman Maglev Track Holloman AFB, Alamogordo, NM 33°01′11″N 106°09′39″W / 33.01975°N 106.16086°W / 33.01975; -106.16086 USA 2,100 ft
(640 m) 		North-South
Germany Germany I-Beam
Bundeswehr WTD 91 rocket sled track Meppen 52°51′47″N 7°24′30″E / 52.8631°N 7.4084°E / 52.8631; 7.4084 Germany 830 m
(2,723 ft)
AVIC ALI track[10] Xiangyang 32°23′38″N 112°08′19″E / 32.3939°N 112.1386°E / 32.3939; 112.1386 China 6.0 km
(19,685 ft) 		1.435 m
(56.5 in) 		Welded 1993 2006 Also known as XB High Accuracy Rocket Sled Test Track.
Muroran Institute of Technology APReC HSTT[11] Shiraoi 42°32′09″N 141°15′21″E / 42.5358°N 141.2558°E / 42.5358; 141.2558 Japan 300 m
(984 ft) 		1.435 m
(56.5 in) 		2009
Muroran Institute of Technology APReC SSTT Shiraoi 42°32′09″N 141°15′19″E / 42.5357°N 141.2552°E / 42.5357; 141.2552 Japan 100 m
(328 ft) 		0.128 m
(5.04 in) 		2008
TÜBİTAK SAGE HABRAS Karapınar 37°37′16″N 33°27′48″E / 37.6212°N 33.4634°E / 37.6212; 33.4634 Turkey 2.0 km
(6,562 ft) 		2017

Other former rocket sled tracks include those at the following locations:

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Ein schneller Schlitten". Deutsches Museum. 30 December 2013. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
  2. ^ Winter, Frank H (1989). "Harry Bull, American Rocket Pioneer" (PDF). AAS History Series. 9. San Diego: Univelt: 291–312. ISSN 0730-3564. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
  3. ^ "The Fastest Rocket Sled On Earth". impactlab.com. 16 January 2006. Archived from the original on 2022-05-22. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
  4. ^ "Test sets world land speed record". www.af.mil. 30 April 2003. Retrieved 2016-04-19.
  5. ^ "Murphy's laws origin". murphys-laws.com. Archived from the original on 2012-03-10. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
  6. ^ Bushnell, David (1959). Origin and Operation of the First Holloman Track. Volume I. History of Tracks and Track Testing at the Air Force Missile Development Center, Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, 1949 - 1956 (PDF). United States Air Force.
  7. ^ "SA To RM Inaugurates Unique "RTRS Penta Rail Supersonic Track" at TBRL" (PDF). Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO). 12 May 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 May 2019. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
  8. ^ "Technology Focus magazine Vol. 25 No. 3, May-June 2017" (PDF). 9 June 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 May 2019. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
  9. ^ a b c d Centres et Moyens d'Essais / COMAERO [Test Centres and Facilities] (PDF) (in French). Vol. I. Palaiseau: ONERA. 2013. ISBN 978-2-7257-0017-5.
  10. ^ Yang, Xingbang (2000). "XB High Accuracy Rocket Sled Test Track". Engineering Science (in Chinese). 2 (10): 98–104. doi:10.3969/j.issn.1009-1742.2000.10.021. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
  11. ^ Nakata, Daisuke; Yajima, Jun; Nishine, Kenji; Higashino, Kazuyuki; Tanatsugu, Nobuhiro; Kozu, Ami (2012). "Research and Development of High Speed Test Track Facility in Japan". 50th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting including the New Horizons Forum and Aerospace Exposition. doi:10.2514/6.2012-928. ISBN 978-1-60086-936-5.
  12. ^ Sharpe, Mitchell R.; Lowther, John M. (1965). Progress in Rocket, Missile, and Space Carrier Vehicle Testing, Launching, and Tracking Technology. Advances in Space Science and Technology. Vol. 7. pp. 1–145. doi:10.1016/B978-1-4831-9965-8.50008-3. ISBN 978-1-4831-9965-8.
  13. ^ Ellis, Herbert (2008). "Recollections of Aeromedical Flying Trials" (PDF). Royal Air Force Historical Society Journal. 43: 97–108. ISSN 1361-4231. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
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