Launch index
Launch Failure

Black Arrow | X-2

September 2, 1970 at 12:34 AM UTC

RAAF Woomera Range Complex

Mission imagery · Black Arrow

Launch details

LAUNCH IN

T−00d00h00m00s

September 2, 1970 at 12:34 AM UTC

Status: Launch Failure · Live feed refreshes every 30 seconds

Launch Area 5B

RAAF Woomera Range Complex · -30.9553, 136.5300

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Launch site
Launch Area 5B

RAAF Woomera Range Complex

Launch probability
Not published
Window opens
September 2, 1970 at 12:34 AM UTC
Window closes
September 2, 1970 at 12:34 AM UTC
Feed updated
June 14, 2023 at 4:29 AM UTC

Mission description

Uninstrumented spherical satellite meant to enable atmospheric density measurements by observing its orbital decay. It was destroyed in the failure of the first Black Arrow orbital launch failure.

Vehicle

Black Arrow

Height

13 m

Diameter

2 m

LEO capacity

135 kg

Successful launches

1

Launch complex

Launch Area 5B

RAAF Woomera Range Complex

The RAAF Woomera Range Complex (WRC) is a major Australian military and civil aerospace facility and operation located in South Australia, approximately 450 km (280 mi) north-west of Adelaide. The WRC is operated by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), a Service of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The complex has a land area of 122,188 km2 (47,177 sq mi) or roughly the size of North Korea or Pennsylvania. The airspace above the area is restricted and controlled by the RAAF for safety and security. The WRC is a highly specialised ADF test and evaluation capability operated by the RAAF for the purposes of testing defence materiel.

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