INTA-100


The INTA-100 vehicle was a small 2-stage meteorological sounding rocket designed and developed between the 1980s and the 1990s by the Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial. The final design was entirely produced in Spain to be used by the Instituto Nacional de Meteorología in conducting experiments on the atmosphere.

Body

The rocket was a small cylindrical rod 4 meters in length and 10 cm of diameter and a total weight of 70 kg. It was divided into two sections: 1st stage and the 2nd stage each with its own stabilizing fins. This configuration allowed up to 6 kg of payload with a flight apoapsis of 115 km.

Development

The INTA 100 sounding rocket project was initiated in 1980. With help from the British company Bristol Aerojet, the first launch took place in June 1984, with six additional launches performed by 1986. The main drive behind these test was to further develop and improve rocket engines and their guidance system. With one notable exception, all test were highly successful in helping develop a hybrid inertial/infrared guidance system that would later be used in several of INTA's satellites. The 5 following test would focus on geodesic studies such as reception of ionospheric beacons emitted by satellites and atmosphere dynamics. To fund these missions INTA reached for several, both public and private, investors such as the Spanish Air Force, the University of Valencia, the University of Sussex, DFVLR, IROE and most important the Comisión Nacional de Investigación del Espacio. The later completely funded 2 launches and quickly became INTA's main partner also participating in balloon launches and the funding of infrastructure.
As a consequence of the closure of CONIE in 1986, the INTA-100 project was put on hold for 4 years due to the lack of funds. Nonetheless, by 1990 the situation was good enough to resume work on the rocket producing 6 more rockets that would be complete testing by 1992. These test would prove successful enough to encourage the development of the INTA rocket series that would culminate on the Capricornio. In addition, INTA would be given funds to develop more ambitious projects such as the first Spanish satellites that would pave the way for INTA to join ESA and reach the current involvement on the space industry.

Launches

During its career 12 rockets were built and used in a total of 17 missions from El Arenosillo, most of them to conduct various test on either the rocket or its payload.
DateCodenamePurposeResults
11 June 1984INTA MZ-8401Test, Zorzal 1, Mock-up
12 June 1984INTA MZ-8402Test, Zorzal 2, Mock-up
13 June 1984INTA RP-8401Ballast, Rocío 1
27 March 1985INTA RP-8501Ballast, Rocío 2
18 June 1985INTA RP-8502Ballast, Rocío 3
24 June 1985INTA RP-8503Ballast, Rocío 4
13 November 1985INTA RP-8504Ballast, Rocío 5
15 November 1985INTA RP-8505Chaff, Rocío 6
17 October 1990INTA MZ-9001Test, M0, Mock-up
21 October 1990INTA MZ-9002Test, M1, functioning mock-up
22 October 1990INTA MZ-9003Test, M2, functioning mock-up
18 January 1991INTA RP-9101Test, Rocío 7, Prototype
18 January 1991INTA RP-9102Meteo, Rocío 8, Prototype
14 October 1991INTA RP-9103Test, Rocío 9,
15 October 1991INTA RP-9104Test, Rocío 10
7 April 1992INTA RP-9201Tech Payload, Rocío 11
8 April 1992INTA RP-9202Tech Payload, Rocío 12