Hi Michel,
Thanks, the idea was to take two standard Blue Streaks from the Stevenage production line. A Single Rolls-Royce RZ14 400,000lbf direct drive rocket enginewith single thrust chamber would be fitted on the the line instead of the the RZ12 (2xRZ2, each rated at 187,00lbf ). Just like a car assembly line when they fit different engines.
According to Charles Martin the two Blue Streaks would have been joined together for tests and for launch but would be transported seperately. either by rail, road or air to the launch site. With the original military programme this could have been RAF/Military UK, East African (Tanginikan or Kenyan) or Area 6 Woomera joint special project RAF/RAAF manned launch sites. New launch stands would be needed because 16ft was the maximum size diameter that could be catered for with the two existing Woomera 6A, 6B, service towers, launch sites.
I have a "Rosseta stone" drawing showing the three versions been compared with the same upper stages. the First was one with four wraparound truncated Blue Streaks each with Single RZ2engine. The Second was the medium lift 14ft diameter Blue Streak variant which would easily fit the existing gantries launch sites. The Third was the Twin Blue Streak, a new service tower/new gantry and dedicated site needed.
The twin was the most massive first stageof the three with from memory about 10,000lbs more propellant.
I do not know of actual bigger cluster vehicles, but can not see any reason why not?
There is a paper given by Val Cleaver's colleague that gives the masses that fit the 14ft BS uprated 187,500lbfRZ2 x 4, and LH/LOX upper stage package with in about two per cent that gives the payload as 35,000lbs to 300n.mile orbit. So we are talking about eight tons per Blue Streak with a single RZ14.
A kind of European miniture Saturn V with 24, 32 tons payload or may be more? Four coupled BS with 32 ton payload seems a very practical suggestion must be better than Saturn 1b.
Remember these vehicles from the Existing original 1959 Stevenage assembly line. The 14ft from the Pinnicles, Harlow Essex factory.
Michel Van said:
from thread about Black Arrow cost
came this info by Spark
The Twin Blue Streak drawing from Charles Martin looked in side view like the French Vulcain, but with only two RZ14’s and a 16 ton payload to 300 n.mile orbit.
Just a thought but four BS strapped together with 32ton payload, a mini Saturn?
Only a thought but I do recall there was an official study, proposal for four micro truncated 10ft dia. Blue Streaks each with a single RZ2.in a wrap around configuration.
A bit like a big EE Thunder Bird
That Twin Blue Streak design, are this 2 BS bold together or is this more a Cluster last stand like Saturn-I ?