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, Andøya, Kiruna, Natal, Alcântara, Cassino and SvalRak.
Sonda I The Sonda I is a two stage rocket (S-10-1 & 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.
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.
Sonda III Sonda III is a two stage rocket available in three versions, the Sonda III (S-30 & S-20 rocket stages), the Sonda III M1 (S-30 & S-23 rocket stages) and the Sonda IIIA (S-30 & S-33 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.
Sonda IV Sonda IV is a two stage rocket (S-40 & 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.
Stages and engines The Sonda series uses the following stages and engines:
S-10-1 rocket stage The S-10-1 rocket stage has the following specifications:
Engine: Sonda 1 Booster Developer: IAE Thrust: 27.00 kN (6,070 lbf) Gross mass: 30 kg (66 lb) Unfuelled mass: 15 kg (33 lb) Height: 1.50 m (4.90 ft) Diameter: 0.13 m (0.42 ft) Usage: Sonda I first stage
S-10-2 rocket stage The S-10-2 rocket stage has the following specifications:
Engine: Sonda 1 Developer: IAE Gross mass: 30 kg (66 lb) Unfuelled mass: 14 kg (30 lb) Height: 2.10 m (6.80 ft) Diameter: 0.11 m (0.36 ft) Thrust: 4.20 kN (944 lbf) Burn time: 32 s Usage: Sonda I second stage
S-20 rocket stage The S-20 rocket stage has the following specifications:
Engine: S-20 Developer: Avibras Thrust: 36.00 kN (8,093 lbf) Gross mass: 300 kg (660 lb) Unfuelled mass: 77 kg (169 lb) Height: 4.20 m (13.70 ft) Diameter: 0.30 m (0.98 ft) Thrust: 36.00 kN (8,093 lbf) Burn time: 20 s. Usage: Sonda II, Sonda III second stage
S-23 rocket stage The S-23 rocket stage has the following specifications:
Engine: S-23 Developer: Avibras Gross mass: 200 kg (440 lb). Unfuelled mass: 69 kg (152 lb). Height: 2.20 m (7.20 ft). Diameter: 0.30 m (0.98 ft). Thrust: 18.00 kN (4,046 lbf). Burn time: 20 s Usage: Sonda III M1 second stage
S-30 rocket stage
The S-30 rocket stage has the following specifications:
Usage: Sonda III series first stage, VLS fourth stage, VS-30 Orion and VSB-30 first stage
S-33 rocket stage The S-33 rocket stage has the following specifications:
Usage: Sonda IIIA second stage
S-40 rocket stage
The S-40 rocket stage has the following specifications:
Usage: Sonda IV first stage, VS-40 and VS-40M second stage, VLS third stage
S-43 rocket stage The S-43 rocket stage has the following specifications:
Engine: S-43 Developer: IAE Chamber Pressure: 56.20 bar Area Ratio: 12.82 Gross mass: 8,425 kg (18,573 lb) Unfuelled mass: 1,245 kg (2,744 lb) Height: 9.00 m (29.50 ft) Diameter: 1.00 m (3.20 ft) Thrust: 303.00 kN (68,117 lbf) Specific impulse: 265 s Specific impulse sea level: 225 s Burn time: 59 s Usage: Sonda IV second stage, VLS first second stage engines
References
External links The Brazilian Sounding Rocket VSB-30: meeting the Brazilian Space Program and COPUOS objectives Sonda rocket family
