Woomera

Home - Search - Browse - Alphabetic Index: 0- 1- 2- 3- 4- 5- 6- 7- 8- 9
A- B- C- D- E- F- G- H- I- J- K- L- M- N- O- P- Q- R- S- T- U- V- W- X- Y- Z

Woomera

Woomera
Credit: © Mark Wade

Woomera Instrumented Range. After World War II British government recognized the need for a large range to test the incredible array of long-range missile systems then planned. After considering sites in Canada, it was decided that Australia would best meet the projected needs. The Long Range Weapons Establishment was created on 1 April 1947 as a joint British/Australian enterprise. 23 days later the name Woomera (an aboriginal word of atlatl, or spear thrower) was selected for the new town to be built as its administrative center. Woomera town peaked at a population of 6,000 in the 1960's. Thereafter the progressive cancellation of British missile and space projects put Woomera went into sustained decline. However it played a key role in the history of rocketry, including orbital launches or launch attempts by Black Arrow, Sparta, and Europa boosters.

First Launch: 1957-02-13. Last Launch: 2010-03-22. Number: 606 . Location: Woomera, South Australia. Longitude: 136.50 deg. Latitude: -30.96 deg.

By the late 1990's the population was below 1,000, a third of those being Americans working at a Defense Support Program satellite control center. There were hopes that Kistler would use the site for their reusable launch vehicle, but the collapse of that enterprise ended those hopes. In September 14, 1999 SpaceLift Australia announced plans to launch satellite payloads from Woomera using a modified Russian SS-25 missile. A test launch was announced for late 2000. However, as was the case with other Australian schemes to provide Russian launch services, it did not come to pass.

As of 2007 over 518 launches were known to have been made from Woomera since 1957.

Minimum Inclination: 82.0 degrees. Maximum Inclination: 84.0 degrees.

Subtopics

Woomera LA2 SL Skylark launcher, LA2

Woomera LA5A Black Knight launch complex. Launch Area 5A

Woomera LA2 Stonechat, Skylark, Rook, Jaguar, Black Brant, Lorikeet, Long Tom, Kookaburra, HAD, Corella, Cockatoo, Aero High launch complex. Sounding rocket launcher

Woomera LA2 HRV Hypersonic launcher, LA2

Woomera LA5B Black Knight, Black Arrow launch complex. Launch Area 5B

Woomera LA6A Europa, Blue Streak launch complex. Launch Area 6A

Woomera LA8 Redstone, Aerobee launch complex. Launch Area 8

Woomera LA2 D Moraba mobile launcher, LA2

Woomera LA2 N Nike Launcher, LA2

Woomera LA1 S launch complex.

Woomera LA3 Launch Area 3

Woomera LA4 Launch Area 4

Woomera LA9 Launch Area 9

Woomera HAD HAD launcher

Woomera MRL MRL launcher

Family: Europa, Jaguar, Orbital Launch Site. Country: Australia. Spacecraft: Wresat, STV, Prospero. Launch Vehicles: Skylark 1, Long Tom, Skylark 2, Black Knight 201, Aeolus, Aerobee 150, Rook, HAT, Skylark 2C, Black Knight 201/C, Jaguar 1, Europa I, HAD, Skylark 5C, Skylark 5, Black Knight 301/C, Skylark 7C, Skylark 7, Black Knight 201/C2, Blue Streak, Aero High, Black Knight 301/C2, Jaguar 2, Skylark 3, Rook IIIA, Black Brant VB, Skylark 3 AC, ELDO A, SPARTA, Jabiru 2, Skylark 6, Kookaburra, Aerobee 170, Skylark 6 AC, Black Arrow, Stonechat I, Cockatoo, Jabiru 3, Aerobee 200A, Lorikeet, Aerobee 200, Skylark 10A, Skylark 7 AC, Falstaff, Corella, Talos Castor, Black Brant IX, Terrier Orion, Terrier Mk 70 Orion, NAL-735. Launch Sites: Woomera LA2 SL, Woomera LA5A, Woomera LA2, Woomera LA2 HRV, Woomera LA5B, Woomera LA6A, Woomera LA8, Woomera LA2 D, Woomera LA2 N, Woomera LA1, Woomera LA3, Woomera LA4, Woomera LA9, Woomera HAD, Woomera MRL. Agency: WRE. Bibliography: 2, 572.

Photo Gallery

Woomera LC-6A

Woomera
Location of Woomera
Credit: © Mark Wade

1957 February 13 - . 01:51 GMT - . Launch Site: Woomera. Launch Complex: Woomera LA2. Launch Pad: LA2 SL. Launch Vehicle: Skylark.

Test mission - . Nation: Australia. Agency: Royal Aerospace Establishment, WRE. Apogee: 12 km (7 mi).

1957 May 22 - . 05:20 GMT - . Launch Site: Woomera. Launch Complex: Woomera LA2. Launch Pad: LA2 SL. Launch Vehicle: Skylark.

Test mission - . Nation: Australia. Agency: Royal Aerospace Establishment, WRE. Apogee: 75 km (46 mi).

1957 July 23 - . 03:02 GMT - . Launch Site: Woomera. Launch Complex: Woomera LA2. Launch Pad: LA2 SL. Launch Vehicle: Skylark.

Photometers Test / aeronomy mission - . Nation: Australia. Agency: Royal Aerospace Establishment, WRE. Apogee: 85 km (52 mi).

1957 October 1 - . Launch Site: Woomera. Launch Complex: Woomera LA2. Launch Vehicle: Long Tom.

Test mission - . Nation: Australia. Agency: WRE. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).

1957 November 13 - . 11:52 GMT - . Launch Site: Woomera. Launch Complex: Woomera LA2. Launch Pad: LA2 SL. Launch Vehicle: Skylark.

Grenade / Chaff / Sodium release Test / aeronomy mission - . Nation: Australia. Agency: Royal Aerospace Establishment, WRE. Apogee: 127 km (78 mi).