The Black Arrow Rocket: A History of a Satellite Launch Vehicle and Its Engines

Black Arrow R4 is Britain's only surviving satellite launch vehicle. In 1971, its predecessor, R3, carried out the only launch of a spacecraft by a British vehicle. This book draws on the Science Museum's unique collection of rocket engines and vehicles to tell Black Arrow's story. It traces the evolution of engines from those that boosted German aircraft in the 1930s and 1940s to the Gammas of the Black Knight ballistic research vehicle, from which Black Arrow originated. It relates this technological history to the political climate at the time, both in Britain and abroad, and also to the activities of government research establishments and industry. In doing so, the book outlines how and why Black Arrow was created and later allowed to die. This book will be of interest both to those who wish to know more of the forces that drive space exploration and to those who are interested in Britain's political, military and technological aspirations during the Cold War.