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Sounding rocket. Country: USA. Status: Retired 1964.

The Hopi-Dart vehicle consisted of a Hopi III booster as first stage, and an unpowered dart as second stage. A boosted version of the configuration used a Kiva motor as the first stage.

The first stage was a Hopi III solid propellant rocket motor, 0.114 meters in diameter, and 2.014 meters long.

Manufacturer: RPI. Launches: 35. Failures: 4. Success Rate: 88.57%. First Launch Date: 1960-06-21. Last Launch Date: 1964-11-23. Launch data is: complete. Version:

Kiva/Hopi.

Two stage vehicle consisting of 1 x Kiva + 1 x Hopi

Launches: 12. First Launch Date: 1960-06-21. Last Launch Date: 1963-05-11. Apogee: 365 km (226 mi). Liftoff Thrust: 27.000 kN (6,069 lbf). Total Mass: 100 kg (220 lb). Core Diameter: 0.17 m (0.55 ft). Total Length: 5.50 m (18.00 ft).

  • Stage1: 1 x Kiva/Hopi-1. Gross Mass: 100 kg (220 lb). Empty Mass: 24 kg (52 lb). Motor: 1 x Kiva 5.5KS6100. Thrust (vac): 27.000 kN (6,069 lbf). Burn time: 5.50 sec. Length: 2.60 m (8.50 ft). Diameter: 0.17 m (0.55 ft). Propellants: Solid.
  • Stage2: 1 x Kiva/Hopi-2. Gross Mass: 30 kg (66 lb). Empty Mass: 7.00 kg (15.40 lb). Motor: 1 x Hopi 3.0KS4000. Thrust (vac): 18.000 kN (4,046 lbf). Burn time: 3.00 sec. Length: 2.10 m (6.80 ft). Diameter: 0.11 m (0.36 ft). Propellants: Solid.
Version:

Hopi Dart.

Single stage vehicle consisting of a Hopi III and an unpowered dart.

The second stage was an inert dart, 0.035 meters in diameter and 1.128 meters long that contained aluminized Mylar chaff and the payload ejection system. At first stage burnout (2.4 seconds), differential drag caused separation of the first stage from the dart. The dart then coasted to an apogee of 85 kilometers. The payload ejection from the dart was designed to occur at approximately T+ 135 seconds. The Hopi-Dart was launched from a rail attached to an I-Beam structure.

An FPS-16 radar skin tracked the Dart and then the chaff payload from apogee to an altitude of 70 km or loss of signal. Data were obtained by radar printout of time, elevation and azimuth angles, and slant range position, and also by reducing the radar plotting board which was a graphical location of the chaff by altitude, time, and position. Only three of this type system were fired at Cape Kennedy.

Launches: 21. Failures: 4. First Launch Date: 1963-02-28. Last Launch Date: 1964-11-23. Payload: 4.99 kg (11.00 lb). to a: 115.8 km trajectory. Apogee: 116 km (72 mi). Liftoff Thrust: 0 N ( lbf). Total Mass: 38 kg (84 lb). Core Diameter: 0.11 m (0.37 ft). Total Length: 3.32 m (10.88 ft). Span: 0.45 m (1.47 ft).

  • Stage1: 1 x Hopi III. Gross Mass: 30 kg (66 lb). Empty Mass: 8.00 kg (17.60 lb). Motor: 1 x Hopi 2.4KS5600. Thrust (vac): 28.000 kN (6,294 lbf). Burn time: 2.10 sec. Length: 2.00 m (6.50 ft). Diameter: 0.11 m (0.36 ft). Propellants: Solid.
Version:

Sidewinder-Raven.

Two stage sounding rocket.

Launches: 2. First Launch Date: 1964-01-01. Last Launch Date: 1964-01-01. Apogee: 112 km (69 mi). Liftoff Thrust: 26.400 kN (5,935 lbf). Total Mass: 110 kg (240 lb). Core Diameter: 0.13 m (0.42 ft). Total Length: 5.20 m (17.00 ft). Span: 0.64 m (2.09 ft).

  • Stage1: 1 x Sidewinder-Raven-1. Gross Mass: 40 kg (88 lb). Empty Mass: 18 kg (39 lb). Motor: 1 x Mk 36. Length: 1.80 m (5.90 ft). Diameter: 0.13 m (0.42 ft). Propellants: Solid.
  • Stage2: 1 x Sidewinder-Raven-2. Gross Mass: 40 kg (88 lb). Empty Mass: 9.00 kg (19.80 lb). Motor: 1 x Hopi 9.0KS1800. Thrust (vac): 7.700 kN (1,731 lbf). Burn time: 9.00 sec. Length: 2.40 m (7.80 ft). Diameter: 0.11 m (0.36 ft). Propellants: Solid.
Hopi Chronology

1960 June 21 - Point Mugu -. PHOENIX 1 test Agency: AFCRL. Apogee: 300 km (180 mi).

1960 July 1 - Point Mugu -. PHOENIX 5 test Agency: AFCRL. Apogee: 325 km (201 mi).

1960 August 12 - Vandenberg LC-B. Aeronomy mission Agency: AFCRL. Apogee: 300 km (180 mi).

1960 October 12 - Vandenberg LC-B. Aeronomy mission Agency: AFCRL. Apogee: 300 km (180 mi).

1960 October 27 - Vandenberg LC-B. Aeronomy mission Agency: AFCRL. Apogee: 300 km (180 mi).

1960 December 6 - 18:44 GMT - Vandenberg LC-B. PHOENIX I Ionosphere mission Agency: AFCRL. Apogee: 367 km (228 mi).

1960 December 14 - Vandenberg LC-B. Aeronomy mission Agency: AFCRL. Apogee: 300 km (180 mi).

1960 December 14 - Vandenberg LC-B. Aeronomy mission Agency: AFCRL. Apogee: 300 km (180 mi).

1960 December 16 - Vandenberg LC-B. Aeronomy mission Agency: AFCRL. Apogee: 300 km (180 mi).

1961 May 1 - Wallops Island -. PHOENIX Chaff Aeronomy mission Agency: AFCRL. Apogee: 273 km (169 mi).

1962 August 5 - Vandenberg LC-B. Aeronomy mission Agency: AFCRL. Apogee: 300 km (180 mi).

1963 February 28 - Wallops Island -. Hopi Dart F1 FAILURE: Failure. Test mission Agency: NASA MSFC. Apogee: 1.00 km (0.60 mi).

1963 March 27 - Wallops Island -. Hopi Dart F2 FAILURE: Failure. Test mission Agency: NASA MSFC. Apogee: 1.00 km (0.60 mi).

1963 April 25 - Wallops Island -. Hopi Dart F3 FAILURE: Failure. Test mission Agency: NASA MSFC. Apogee: 1.00 km (0.60 mi).

1963 May 9 - Wallops Island -. Hopi Dart F4 Test mission Agency: NASA MSFC. Apogee: 22 km (13 mi).

1963 May 10 - Wallops Island -. Hopi Dart F5 Test mission Agency: NASA MSFC. Apogee: 64 km (39 mi).

1963 May 11 - Vandenberg LC-B. Aeronomy mission Agency: AFCRL. Apogee: 300 km (180 mi).

1963 June 5 - Wallops Island -. Hopi Dart F6 Test mission Agency: NASA MSFC. Apogee: 63 km (39 mi).

1963 July 18 - Wallops Island -. Hopi Dart F7 Test mission Agency: NASA MSFC. Apogee: 95 km (59 mi).

1963 August 7 - Wallops Island -. Hopi Dart F8 Test mission Agency: NASA MSFC. Apogee: 95 km (59 mi).

1963 August 9 - Wallops Island -. Hopi Dart F9 Test mission Agency: NASA MSFC. Apogee: 93 km (57 mi).

1963 August 22 - Wallops Island -. Hopi Dart F10 Test mission Agency: NASA MSFC. Apogee: 90 km (55 mi).

1963 August 22 - Wallops Island -. Hopi Dart F11 FAILURE: Failure. Test mission Agency: NASA MSFC. Apogee: 1.00 km (0.60 mi).

1963 October 29 - Tonopah -. Hopi Dart F13 Aeronomy mission Agency: NASA MSFC. Apogee: 90 km (55 mi).

1963 October 29 - Tonopah -. Hopi Dart F12 Aeronomy mission Agency: NASA MSFC. Apogee: 90 km (55 mi).

1963 October 29 - Tonopah -. Hopi Dart F14 Aeronomy mission Agency: NASA MSFC. Apogee: 90 km (55 mi).

1964 - White Sands -. Test mission Agency: USA ERDL. Apogee: 113 km (70 mi).

1964 - White Sands -. Test mission Agency: USA ERDL. Apogee: 113 km (70 mi).

1964 February 13 - 18:28 GMT - Cape Canaveral LC43. Aeronomy mission Agency: NASA MSFC. Apogee: 90 km (55 mi).

1964 February 13 - 21:45 GMT - Cape Canaveral LC43. Aeronomy mission Agency: NASA MSFC. Apogee: 90 km (55 mi).

1964 February 14 - 21:03 GMT - Cape Canaveral LC43. Aeronomy mission Agency: NASA MSFC. Apogee: 90 km (55 mi).

1964 October 14 - Wallops Island -. Hopi Dart F19 Aeronomy mission Agency: NASA MSFC. Apogee: 90 km (55 mi).

1964 October 14 - Wallops Island -. Hopi Dart F20 Aeronomy mission Agency: NASA MSFC. Apogee: 90 km (55 mi).

1964 November 23 - Wallops Island -. Hopi Dart F22 Aeronomy mission Agency: NASA MSFC. Apogee: 90 km (55 mi).

1964 November 23 - Wallops Island -. Hopi Dart F21 Aeronomy mission Agency: NASA MSFC. Apogee: 90 km (55 mi).

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© Mark Wade, 1997 - 2008 except where otherwise noted.