Rocket Revolution

Congreve Rockets

Fast forward to the 19^th century, when William Congreve set out on a mission to design a rocket for use in the British military. These rockets were used in battle, so much so that they inspired the lyrics “the rockets’ red glare” in The Star-Spangled Banner, the national anthem of the United States. Congreve Rockets, like the one on Deck 1 in the National Space Centre’s Rocket Tower, on loan from the Royal Artillery Museum, were made up of an iron case containing a black gunpowder-like substance that would ignite and propel the rocket across battle fields.

V-2 Rocket

Hit fast forward again and pause right around World War II. The German V-2 rocket was the world’s first long-range guided ballistic missile and was used as a weapon against London, scattering the ground with 20-metre-wide craters. The V-2 rocket became the first human-made object to reach space on 20 June 1944.

After the war, the United States, Soviet Union, and Britain competed to secure V-2 technology and the scientists who developed it. Lead engineer, Wernher von Braun, surrendered to the Americans and later played a key role in the U.S. space programme, while Britain and the Soviet Union used captured V-2 technology to advance their own rocket development.

RZ.2 Engines

The Blue Streak Rocket was powered by the turbo pumps on two separate RZ.2 engines. Rolls Royce took the S-3D rocket motor technology, which was based on the German V-2 machinery, to produce the RZ.2 engines that were lighter and more reliable, a powerful driver for the British Blue Streak rocket. Keep on reading to learn about Blue Streak!

Skylark

Skylark on Deck 1 is often overlooked, perhaps because it lacks the size and visual impact of Thor Able and Blue Streak, but it played a vital role in British space research. Skylark sounding rockets were used between 1957 and 2005, launching mainly from Woomera, Australia, to study the upper atmosphere. Scientists used them to investigate micrometeoroids, solar radiation, cosmic rays and auroras, while the military gathered data on atmospheric conditions to improve missile technology.

The Skylark on display, on loan thanks to the Science Museum, is an authentic rocket, assembled from parts of several Skylarks after arriving incomplete. Some components came from rockets that were never launched after the programme was cancelled. Data gathered from Skylark missions helped pave the way for the development of the Blue Streak rocket.

Blue Streak

Like Thor Able, Blue Streak is a genuine rocket that never flew. Originally developed in the 1950s as a British ballistic missile, the project was cancelled due to rising costs. Rather than abandoning the technology entirely, the UK Government proposed using Blue Streak, alongside Black Knight, as part of a satellite launcher called Black Prince. In the 1960s, Blue Streak was selected as the first stage of Europa, Europe’s first satellite launch programme.

Blue Streak made its debut launch from Woomera, Australia, in 1964 and flew 11 successful voyages. However, despite these achievements, the Europa programme was unable to place a satellite into orbit. Growing technical difficulties and costs led the British Government to withdraw from the project, and the Blue Streak programme was cancelled in 1971.

The technology developed for Europa paved the way for a new and evolved European launch vehicle, the Ariane rocket. Ariane rockets have launched iconic missions including Rosetta, BepiColombo, and the James Webb Space Telescope.

The Blue Streak displayed at the National Space Centre is the 16th, and last one ever made. Rescued from the production line, it was stored by National Museums Liverpool and National Museums Scotland before being loaned to the National Space Centre in 2000. Despite its impressive appearance, the rocket is unbelievably thin (as thin as a drink can!) and must remain pressurised to prevent it from deforming due to changing air pressure.