Malemute

For the type of dog, see Alaskan Malamute.

Launch of Terrier Improved Malemute from the Wallops Flight Facility

Malemute is the designation of an American sounding rocket family.[1] The original Malemute had a maximum flight altitude of 165 km, a liftoff thrust of 57.00 kN, a total mass of 100 kg, a diameter of 0.41 m and a total length of 2.40 m.[1] It was a single stage vehicle powered by a Thiokol Malemute TU-758 engine, [1] operated by Sandia National Laboratories (SNL).[1]

It was used for used for conducting upper atmosphere research in various missions to study phenomena such as auroras, ionosphere and cosmic radiation. Over the years more advanced versions were developed.[2][3][4]

Versions

Improved versions exist, with the addition of a second stages and using different first stage engines.[2][3][5][6][7][8]

Version	First Stage	Second Stage
Malemute[1]	TU-758	-
Malemute-2	TU-758	-
Improved Malemute (PAAT)[3]	TX-486-1	-
Improved Malemute Improved Malemute (IM/IM)	TX-486-1	TX-486-1
Improved Malemute Improved Orion (IM/IO)	TX-486-1	M112
29. Terrier-Malemute[7]	Terrier mk.12	TU-758
46. Terrier-imp. Malemute[8][5]	Terrier mk.70	TX-486-1
S31 Improved Malemute (S31/IM)	S31	TX-486-1
Red Kite (RK/IM) Improved Malemute	RK	TX-486-1

Launches

Malemute rockets were launched from Andøya Space Center, ESRANGE, Kauai Test Facility, Tonopah Test Range and White Sands Missile Range.[2]

Date	Rocket Version	Launch Site	Mission
22.07.1976	Malemute	Tonopah Test Range	Sandia 497-006
24.07.1976	Malemute	Tonopah Test Range	Sandia 497-007
19.04.1979	Malemute-2	Tonopah Test Range	Sandia 497-009
01.07.1999	Malemute-2	Kauai Test Facility	TMBD Target (Slugger)
30.06.2016	Improved Malemute	Andøya Space Center	MaxiDusty 1 (IM QUAL 1)
08.07.2016	Improved Malemute	Andøya Space Center	MaxiDusty 1B (IM QUAL 2)
13.04.2018	Improved Malemute	Andøya Space Center	PMWE 1
13.04.2018	Improved Malemute	Andøya Space Center	PMWE 2
20.02.2020	Improved Malemute	ESRANGE	SPIDER 2
24.05.2021	Improved Malemute Improved Malemute	ESRANGE	MAPHEUS 11
12.08.2021	Improved Malemute	White Sands Missile Range	ET-2 (Economical Target 2)
07.09.2021	Improved Malemute	White Sands Missile Range	ET-2 (Economical Target 2)
01.10.2021	Improved Malemute	Andøya Space Center	PMWE 3
01.10.2021	Improved Malemute	Andøya Space Center	PMWE 4
06.12.2021	Improved Malemute Improved Malemute	ESRANGE	MAPHEUS 10
29.01.2022	Improved Malemute Improved Malemute	ESRANGE	MAPHEUS 9
21.10.2022	Improved Malemute Improved Malemute	ESRANGE	MAPHEUS 12
23.03.2023	Improved Malemute Improved Orion	ESRANGE	BROR
22.05.2023	Improved Malemute Improved Malemute	ESRANGE	MAPHEUS 13

References

1. "Malemute". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
2. "Malemute". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
3. "Imp. Malemute". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
4. Koehler, Keith; NASA. "NASA completes investigation of July 2014 Terrier-Improved Malemute sounding rocket failure". phys.org. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
5. "NASA Types of Sounding Rockets". NASA.gov/Types of Sounding Rockets.
6. "DLR MoRaBa, mission calendar". DLR MoRaBa.
7. "Terrier Malemute". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
8. "Terrier Improved Malemute". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 2024-03-19.

• Bolster, W.; Hoekstra, P. (June 1976). The Malemute development program. 4th Sounding Rocket Technology Conference. American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. doi:10.2514/6.1976-1867.