
Black Knight ballistic test vehicle
- Made:
- circa 1960 in unknown place








Black Knight ballistic test vehicle, wind tunnel model, ca. 1960
The Black Knight programme initially produced data in support of the UK's Blue Streak intermediate range ballistic missile programme. The information helped in the design of Blue Streak's warhead re-entry body. This objective was swiftly achieved and Black Knight turned over to a related research programme on the physics of re-entering the Earth's atmosphere. This was conducted in collaboration with the United States. All of the launches were carried out in South Australia at the Woomera rocket range. Twenty two Black Knight rockets of varying configurations were successully launched between 1958 and 1965.
This scale model, with a choice of fittings for different configurations, was used in the wind tunnels of the Royal Aircraft Establshment, Bedford to assist in researching the aerodynamic design of the rocket.
Details
- Category:
- Space Technology
- Object Number:
- 2019-504
- Materials:
- brass (copper, zinc alloy), metal (unknown) and wood (unidentified)
- type:
- model
- credit:
- Qinetiq Limited