Black Arrow

Common card · No. 294747

Black Arrow, officially capitalised BLACK ARROW, was a British liquid-fuelled three-stage expendable launch system. In 1971 Black Arrow's fourth final flight placed the Prospero satellite into low Earth orbit, the first and only successful orbital launch conducted by the United Kingdom. Black Arrow originated from studies by the Royal Aircraft Establishment for carrier rockets based on the earlier Black Knight rocket; the project was authorised by the British government in late 1964. Development of Black Arrow was largely performed by the prime contractor, the British aerospace company Saunders-Roe, and later undertaken by Westland Aircraft as the result of a merger. Both the first and second stage engines were produced by Bristol Siddeley at their factory in Ansty, Warwickshire. Assembly of the first and second stages was carried out at East Cowes on the Isle of Wight. Once manufactured, each Black Arrow vehicle was transported by ship to Australia prior to being launched from the RAAF...

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