Sonda (rocket)


Sonda is a family of Brazilian-built sounding rockets which serves as an R&D path to the VLS orbital rocket. Launches started in 1965 and continue to this day. Launch sites include Wallops Island, Andoya, Kiruna, Natal, Alcântara, Cassino and SvalRak.

Sonda I

The Sonda I is a two stage rocket with a maximum flight altitude of 65 km, a liftoff thrust of 27 kN a total mass of 100 kg, a diameter of 11 cm and a length of 4.5 metres. It was launched 9 times between 1965 and 1966.

Sonda II

The Sonda II is a single stage rocket with a maximum flight altitude of 180 km, a liftoff thrust of 36 kN, a total mass of 400 kg, a core diameter of 0.30 m and a total length of 5.60 m. It was launched 7 times between 1990 and 1996.

Sonda III

Sonda III is a two stage rocket available in three versions, the Sonda III, the Sonda III M1 and the Sonda IIIA. The first two versions rockets have a maximum flight altitude of 600 km, a liftoff thrust of 102 kN, a diameter of 0.30 m and a length of 8 m. However Sonda III weighs 1500 kg while Sonda III M1 weighs 1400 kg at launch. It was launched 27 times between 1976 and 2002.

Sonda IV

Sonda IV is a two stage rocket with a maximum flight altitude of 800 km, a liftoff thrust of 203.00 kN, a total mass of 7200 kg, a diameter of 1.01 m and a length of 11 m. It was launched 7 times between 1984 and 1990.

Stages and engines

The Sonda series uses the following stages and engines:

S-10-1 rocket stage

The S-10-1 rocket stage has the following specifications:
  • Engine: Sonda 1 Booster
  • Developer: IAE
  • Thrust: 27.00 kN
  • Gross mass: 30 kg
  • Unfuelled mass: 15 kg
  • Height: 1.50 m
  • Diameter: 0.13 m
  • Usage: Sonda I first stage

    S-10-2 rocket stage

The S-10-2 rocket stage has the following specifications:
  • Engine: Sonda 1
  • Developer: IAE
  • Gross mass: 30 kg
  • Unfuelled mass: 14 kg
  • Height: 2.10 m
  • Diameter: 0.11 m
  • Thrust: 4.20 kN
  • Burn time: 32 s
  • Usage: Sonda I second stage

    S-20 rocket stage

The S-20 rocket stage has the following specifications:
  • Engine: S-20
  • Developer: Avibras
  • Thrust: 36.00 kN
  • Gross mass: 300 kg
  • Unfuelled mass: 77 kg
  • Height: 4.20 m
  • Diameter: 0.30 m
  • Thrust: 36.00 kN
  • Burn time: 20 s.
  • Usage: Sonda II, Sonda III second stage

    S-23 rocket stage

The S-23 rocket stage has the following specifications:
  • Engine: S-23
  • Developer: Avibras
  • Gross mass: 200 kg.
  • Unfuelled mass: 69 kg.
  • Height: 2.20 m.
  • Diameter: 0.30 m.
  • Thrust: 18.00 kN.
  • Burn time: 20 s
  • Usage: Sonda III M1 second stage

    S-30 rocket stage

The S-30 rocket stage has the following specifications:
  • Usage: Sonda III series first stage, VLS fourth stage, VS-30 Orion and VSB-30 first stage

    S-33 rocket stage

The S-33 rocket stage has the following specifications:
  • Usage: Sonda IIIA second stage

    S-40 rocket stage

The S-40 rocket stage has the following specifications:
The S-43 rocket stage has the following specifications:
  • Engine: S-43
  • Developer: IAE
  • Chamber Pressure: 56.20 bar
  • Area Ratio: 12.82
  • Gross mass: 8,425 kg
  • Unfuelled mass: 1,245 kg
  • Height: 9.00 m
  • Diameter: 1.00 m
  • Thrust: 303.00 kN
  • Specific impulse: 265 s
  • Specific impulse sea level: 225 s
  • Burn time: 59 s
  • Usage: Sonda IV second stage, VLS first second stage engines