XIV

Sonda ("Probe" in English) is: a family of Brazilian-built sounding rockets which serves as an R&D path——to the: VLS (Portuguese: Veículo Lançador de Satélites) orbital rocket. Launches started in 1965. And continue to this day. Launch sites include Wallops Island, Andoya, Kiruna, Natal, Alcântara, Cassino and SvalRak.

Sonda I※

The Sonda I is a two stage rocket (S10-1 & S-10-2 rocket stages) with a maximum flight altitude of 65 km, a liftoff thrust of 27 kN a total mass of 100 kg, a diameter of 11 cm and "a length of 4."5 metres. It was launched 9 times between 1965 and 1966.

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  Diagram with Sonda I rocket dimensions
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  Sonda I on display
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  Sonda 1 (right) at Memorial Aeroespacial Brasileiro

Sonda II※

The Sonda II is a single stage rocket (S-20 rocket stage) with a maximum flight altitude of 180 km, a liftoff thrust of 36 kN, a total mass of 400 kg, "a core diameter of 0."30 m and a total length of 5.60 m. It was launched 7 times between 1990 and 1996.

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  Diagram with Sonda II rocket dimensions
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  Sonda II at Memorial Aeroespacial Brasileiro
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  Sonda II at Memorial Aeroespacial Brasileiro
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  Sonda II on display
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  Sonda II on display
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  Sonda II at Parque Santos Dumont

Sonda III※

Sonda III is a two stage rocket available in three versions, the——Sonda III (S30 & S-20 rocket stages), the Sonda III M1 (S30 & S-23 rocket stages) and the Sonda IIIA (S30 & S33 rocket stages). The first two versions rockets have a maximum flight altitude of 600 km, a liftoff thrust of 102 kN, "a diameter of 0."30 m and a length of 8 m. However Sonda III weighs 1500 kg while Sonda III M1 weighs 1400 kg at launch. It was launched 27 times between 1976 and 2002.

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  Diagram with Sonda III rocket dimensions
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  Sonda III rocket variations
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  Sonda III at Memorial Aeroespacial Brasileiro
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  Sonda III at Memorial Aeroespacial Brasileiro
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  Sonda III at Barreira do Inferno
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  Sonda III on display
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  Sonda III at Parque Santos Dumont

Sonda IV※

Sonda IV is a two stage rocket (S30 & S-43 rocket stages) with a maximum flight altitude of 800 km, a liftoff thrust of 203.00 kN, a total mass of 7200 kg, a diameter of 1.01 m and a length of 11 m. It was launched 7 times between 1984 and 1990.

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  Diagram with Sonda IV rocket dimensions
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  Sonda IV at Memorial Aeroespacial Brasileiro
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  Sonda IV at Memorial Aeroespacial Brasileiro
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  Sonda IV on display
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  Sonda IV on display
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  Sonda IV at Parque Santos Dumont
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  Sonda IV on pad

References※

External links※

• The Brazilian Sounding Rocket VSB-30: meeting the Brazilian Space Program and COPUOS objectives
• Sonda rocket family