Algol (rocket stage)

The Algol family of solid-fuel rocket stages and boosters built by Aerojet (now Aerojet Rocketdyne) and used on a variety of launch vehicles. It was developed by Aerojet from the earlier Jupiter Senior and the Navy Polaris programs. Upgrades to the Algol motor occurred from 1960 till the retirement of the Scout launch vehicle in 1994.

Solid propellant rocket stage. Loaded/empty mass 10,705/1,900 kg. Thrust 470.93 kN. Vacuum specific impulse 236 seconds. Variations included Algol I, I-D, II, II-A, II-B and possibly others. Another popular rating was 40KS-115,000 (52,000 kgf for 40 seconds), also known as Senior.

They were initially developed as the first-stage motor of the Scout rocket. The design was based on the UGM-27 Polaris, a sea-to-air missile developed for the United States Navy at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

This rocket design started as the Polaris test motor, 31 feet in length with a 40 inches (1.0 m) diameter steel case, and 86,000 lb. of thrust. The eventual UGM-27 Polaris A-1 was larger, 28.5 feet (8.7 m) in length and 54 inches (1.4 m) in diameter.

The Algol 1 was first used for a successful suborbital launch of a Scout X-1 rocket on September 2, 1960. This rocket started as a UGM-27 Polaris test motor with a 40-inch diameter, which at the time was the largest solid motor ever tested. It had a nominal performance rating of 45 seconds duration and 45,000 kgf thrust. It was 19.42 feet (5.92 m) long, 2.6 feet (0.79 m) in diameter, and had a burn time of 27 seconds.

Scaled up to 1.02 m (40 in) diameter. Later versions for Scout D scaled to 1.14 m (45 in)

Used on the Scout X (Cub Scout) test flight flown April 18, 1960. served as prototype vehicle for eventual Scout rocket.

Used on Scout X-1, RM-89 Blue Scout I, and RM-90 Blue Scout II.

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