Viper Dart is an American sounding rocket originally developed in 1972. Space Data Corporation (SDC) developed the vehicle as a mean to increase the apogee of the Super Loki boosted PWN-12A dart. The PWN-12A dart is the non-propulsive second stage that contains a ROBINSphere (Radar OBservable INflation Sphere). The ROBINSphere is an inflatable 1 meter diameter radar reflecting balloon.
The Viper IIIA boosted PWN-12A dart has a maximum apogee of 120 km (74.56 mi), a diameter of 0.11 m and a length of 3.40 m.
The Viper II version had a ceiling of 150 km, a diameter of 0.18 m and a length of 3.40 m. This vehicle configurations flew less than 100 missions as a meteorological rocket and last flew in 1988 at White Sands Missile Range, NM..
Famous quotes containing the word dart:
“The Kid had a lurking devil in him ... It was a good-humored, jovial imp, or a cruel and blood-thirsty fiend, as circumstances prompted. He always laughed when killing, but fire seemed to dart from his eyes.”
—State of New Mexico, U.S. public relief program (1935-1943)