Caleb

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Air-launched orbital launch vehicle. Family: Air-Launched. Country: USA. Status: Retired 1962.

Heavily classifed project related to air-launched ASAT development. Launch tests in 1958. NOTS project staff believed they successully orbited a satellite but unconfirmed.

The 3 stage vehicle was air-launched from an F4H Phantom and consisted of 1 x NOTS 500 + 1 x X-248 motors.

Manufacturer: US Navy. Launches: 7. Failures: 3. Success Rate: 57.14%. First Launch Date: 1960-07-28. Last Launch Date: 1962-07-25. Launch data is: complete. LEO Payload: 7.00 kg (15.40 lb). to: 500 km Orbit. Apogee: 1,200 km (700 mi). Associated Spacecraft: Hi-Hoe. Liftoff Thrust: 53.300 kN (11,982 lbf). Total Mass: 1,350 kg (2,970 lb). Core Diameter: 0.60 m (1.96 ft). Total Length: 4.90 m (16.00 ft).

Stage0: 1 x F-6. Gross Mass: 8,163 kg (17,996 lb). Empty Mass: 6,870 kg (15,140 lb). Motor: 1 x J57-8. Thrust (vac): 45.355 kN (10,196 lbf). Isp: 1,414 sec. Burn time: 3,000 sec. Length: 13.93 m (45.70 ft). Diameter: 3.96 m (12.99 ft). Propellants: Air/Kerosene.

Stage1: 1 x NOTS-1. Gross Mass: 1,033 kg (2,277 lb). Empty Mass: 194 kg (427 lb). Motor: 1 x NOTS-1. Thrust (vac): 53.357 kN (11,995 lbf). Isp: 204 sec. Burn time: 34 sec. Length: 0.00 m ( ft). Diameter: 0.60 m (1.96 ft). Propellants: Solid.

Stage2: 1 x Caleb-2. Gross Mass: 267 kg (588 lb). Empty Mass: 23 kg (50 lb). Motor: 1 x X-248. Thrust (vac): 13.778 kN (3,097 lbf). Isp: 254 sec. Burn time: 39 sec. Length: 0.00 m ( ft). Diameter: 0.00 m ( ft). Propellants: Solid.

Stage3: 1 x Caleb-3. Gross Mass: 35 kg (77 lb). Empty Mass: 6.00 kg (13.20 lb). Motor: 1 x NOTS-3. Thrust (vac): 2.265 kN (509 lbf). Isp: 250 sec. Burn time: 25 sec. Length: 0.00 m ( ft). Diameter: 0.00 m ( ft). Propellants: Solid.

Stage4: 1 x Caleb-4. Gross Mass: 5.00 kg (11.00 lb). Empty Mass: 1.00 kg (2.20 lb). Motor: 1 x NOTS-4. Thrust (vac): 706 N (158 lbf). Isp: 250 sec. Burn time: 3.00 sec. Length: 0.00 m ( ft). Diameter: 0.00 m ( ft). Propellants: Solid.

Caleb Chronology

1960 July 28 - Vandenberg -. Caleb NOTS EV-II TV-1 test Agency: USN NOTS. Apogee: 20 km (12 mi). Research and Development Flight (TV-1)

1960 October 24 - Vandenberg -. Caleb NOTS EV-II FAILURE: Second stage failed. TV-2 test Agency: USN NOTS. Apogee: 20 km (12 mi). Research and Development Flight (TV-2)

1961 October 1 - San Nicolas -. Caleb SIP Test mission Agency: USN NOTS. Apogee: 20 km (12 mi). Satellite Interceptor Program (SIP) test vehicle. This was a follow-on to China Lake's "Notsnik" air-launched satellite and Caleb space-probe projects, SIP was a prototype air-launched satellite-killer system using primarily in-house technology and hardware.

1961 October 5 - 19:10 GMT - Vandenberg -. Caleb NC17.116 FAILURE: Failure. Test / aeronomy mission Agency: USN NOTS. Apogee: 10 km (6 mi).

1962 March 26 - 19:03 GMT - Vandenberg -. Caleb NC17.121 FAILURE: Failure. Test / aeronomy mission Agency: USN NOTS. Apogee: 21 km (13 mi).

1962 May 5 - San Nicolas -. Caleb SIP Test mission Agency: USN NOTS. Apogee: 20 km (12 mi).

1962 July 25 - 15:41 GMT - Vandenberg -. Caleb NC17.117 Test / aeronomy mission Agency: USN NOTS. Apogee: 1,166 km (724 mi).

Bibliography:

McDowell, Jonathan, Jonathan's Space Home Page (launch records), Harvard University, 1997-present. Web Address when accessed: http://www.planet4589.org/jsr.html.
Koelle, Heinz Hermann,, Handbook of Astronautical Engineering, McGraw-Hill,New York, 1961.

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NOTS 1958