Space Data PWN-11 Super Loki Datasonde

The PWN-11A uses the same Super Loki rocket motor and temperature measuring instrument package as the PWN-10 probe (q.v. for further details), but has a smaller and lighter dart without a transponder unit. Therefore the PWN-11A can reach a slightly higher apogee (80 km (50 miles) vs. 70 km (43 miles) of the PWN-10) but requires a tracking radar to get wind speed and direction data.

Photo: NASA

PWN-11A

In the late 1990s, the PWN-11 (also known as Super Loki Rocketsonde) was still used by NASA Wallops for high-altitude weather recordings. The probe was then usually referred to as PWN-11D Datasonde®, but this is a non-military designation (the suffix "D" was possibly chosen to mean "Datasonde").

Specifications

Note: Data given by several sources show slight variations. Figures given below may therefore be inaccurate!

Data for PWN-11A:

Length (incl. booster)	3.24 m (10 ft 7.5 in); dart: 1.16 m (45.7 in)
Diameter	Booster: 10.2 cm (4 in); dart: 3.7 cm (1.44 in)
Finspan	Booster: 20.3 cm (8 in); dart: 11.7 cm (4.62 in)
Weight (incl. booster)	29 kg (64 lb); dart: 6 kg (13.2 lb)
Speed	?
Ceiling	80 km (50 miles; 260000 ft)
Propulsion	Aero Dyne SR110-AD-1 Super Loki solid-fuel rocket; 25 kN (5520 lb) for 2.1 s

Main Sources

[1] Richard B. Morrow, Mitchell S. Pines: "Small Sounding Rockets", Small Rocket Press, 2000
[2] Peter Alway: "Rockets of the World", Saturn Press, 1999
[3] "DOD 4120.15-L: Model Designation of Military Aerospace Vehicles", Department of Defense, 1974
[4] Upper Air Instrumentation Research Projects Website, NASA [Note: Rocketsonde file is no longer online!]
[5] Edward J. Hopkins: "Meteorological Rockets", 1996 (originally at http://earthlab.meteor.wisc.edu/~hopkins/rockets/metrockl.htm, now dead link)
[6] ORDATA Online Website

Back to Current Designations Of U.S. Unmanned Military Aerospace Vehicles
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Last Updated: 23 October 2002