Malemute is the designation of an American sounding rocket family. 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. It was a single stage vehicle powered by a Thiokol Malemute TU-758 engine, operated by Sandia National Laboratories (SNL).
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. The original Malemute was retired in 1999 but variants such as the Terrier Improved Malemute remain in service.
Versions A number of versions exist, with the addition of a second or third stages, and using different first stage engines. Improved Malemute versions are powered by surplus Thiokol TX-486-1 engines from MIM-104 Patriot missiles. VersionFirst StageSecond StageThird StageMalemute, Malemute-2TU-758 - -Improved Malemute (PAAT)TX-486-1Improved Malemute Improved Orion (IM/IO)M112Improved Malemute Improved Malemute (IM/IM)TX-486-1Terrier Improved MalemuteTerrier MK12Terrier MK70S-31 Improved MalemuteS31Red Kite Improved MalemuteRKTerrier MalemuteTerrier MK12TU-758Nike MalemuteNike M5E1S-31 Improved Malemute Improved OrionS31TX-486-1M112
Launches Malemute rockets were launched from Andøya Space Center, Esrange Space Center, Kauai Test Facility, Tonopah Test Range and White Sands Missile Range. DateRocket VersionLaunch siteMission22.07.1976MalemuteTonopah Test RangeSandia 497-00624.07.1976MalemuteTonopah Test RangeSandia 497-00719.04.1979Malemute-2Tonopah Test RangeSandia 497-00901.07.1999Malemute-2Kauai Test FacilityTMBD Target (Slugger)30.06.2016Improved MalemuteAndøya Space CenterMaxiDusty 1 (IM QUAL 1)08.07.2016Improved MalemuteAndøya Space CenterMaxiDusty 1B (IM QUAL 2)17.02.2018S-31 Improved MalemuteEsrange Space CenterMAPHEUS 713.04.2018Improved MalemuteAndøya Space CenterPMWE 113.04.2018Improved MalemuteAndøya Space CenterPMWE 220.02.2020Improved MalemuteEsrange Space CenterSPIDER 224.05.2021Improved Malemute Improved MalemuteEsrange Space CenterMAPHEUS 1112.08.2021Improved MalemuteWhite Sands Missile RangeET-2 (Economical Target 2)07.09.2021Improved MalemuteWhite Sands Missile RangeET-2 (Economical Target 2)01.10.2021Improved MalemuteAndøya Space CenterPMWE 301.10.2021Improved MalemuteAndøya Space CenterPMWE 406.12.2021Improved Malemute Improved MalemuteEsrange Space CenterMAPHEUS 1029.01.2022Improved Malemute Improved MalemuteEsrange Space CenterMAPHEUS 921.10.2022Improved Malemute Improved MalemuteEsrange Space CenterMAPHEUS 1223.03.2023Improved Malemute Improved OrionEsrange Space CenterBROR22.05.2023Improved Malemute Improved MalemuteEsrange Space CenterMAPHEUS 1324.01.2025Improved MalemuteEsrange Space CenterORIGIN I05.07.2025Improved MalemuteAndøya Space CenterMaxiDusty-2
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