Terrier Malemute


The Terrier Malemute is a two-stage American sounding rocket typically used for smaller payloads. Both the Terrier first stage and the Malemute second stage use solid propellant. The Terrier burns for approximately 5.2 seconds, and the Malemute burns for approximately 21.5 seconds. The first stage booster consists of a surplus Navy Terrier MK 12 Mod 1 rocket motor with four fin panels arranged in a cruciform configuration. The Terrier rocket booster has a diameter of. The second stage solid rocket is a Thiokol Malemute TU-758 rocket motor, specially designed for high altitude research rocket applications. Apogee is approximately for a payload or for a payload. For a payload weight of, the acceleration during the boost phase is 26 g. Its first flight was on November 11, 1974, from Barking Sands. Other launch sites have included Poker Flat, Wallops Island and Fort Yukon, Alaska.
Terrier Malemute was launched more than fifty times between 1974 and 2021:
DateVersionSitePayload
11.11.1974Terrier MalemuteBarking SandsSandia 497-002
12.05.1975Terrier MalemuteBarking SandsSandia 497-004
27.06.1975Terrier MalemuteWallops IslandNASA 29.002GT
15.01.1976Terrier MalemuteWallops IslandNASA 12.034CT-GT
11.08.1976Terrier MalemuteWallops IslandNASA 12.036GT
27.11.1976Terrier MalemuteAndøya Rocket RangeNASA 29.005IE
14.01.1977Terrier MalemutePoker FlatNASA 29.003AE
18.01.1977Terrier MalemutePoker FlatNASA 29.004UE
10.09.1977Terrier MalemuteWallops IslandSandia 497-008
02.02.1978Terrier MalemutePoker FlatNASA 29.008UE
09.03.1978Terrier MalemutePoker FlatNASA 29.007UE
26.01.1979Terrier MalemutePoker FlatNASA 29.013UE
15.04.1979Terrier MalemutePoker FlatNASA 29.011GE
18.04.1979Terrier MalemutePoker FlatNASA 29.012GE
16.07.1979Terrier MalemuteRoi-NamurSandia 497-011
23.07.1979Terrier MalemuteRoi-NamurSandia 497-012
13.10.1979Terrier Malemute-2Barking SandsSandia 497-010
27.01.1980Terrier MalemutePoker FlatNASA 29.014UE
07.12.1981Terrier Malemute-2Cape ParryNASA 29.017CE
21.01.1982Terrier MalemuteCape ParryNASA 29.018UE
06.03.1982Terrier Malemute-2Poker FlatNASA 29.016CE
02.03.1983Terrier MalemuteChilca Launch RangeNASA 29.020UE
15.03.1983Terrier MalemuteChilca Launch RangeNASA 29.019UE
11.11.1983Terrier Malemute-2Andøya Rocket RangeNASA 29.022GE/IE
07.02.1984Terrier MalemuteFort YukonNASA 29.021UE
23.01.1985Terrier MalemuteSøndre StrømfjordNASA 29.023UE
10.02.1985Terrier MalemuteSøndre StrømfjordNASA 29.015UE
14.07.1985Terrier Malemute-2Barking SandsSandia 497-013
27.09.1985Terrier Malemute-2Barking SandsSandia 497-014
10.10.1985Terrier Malemute-2Barking SandsSandia 497-015
10.12.1985Terrier Malemute-2Barking SandsSandia 497-016
03.04.1986Terrier MalemutePoker FlatNASA 29.024UE
26.02.1987Terrier MalemuteSøndre StrømfjordNASA 29.025UE
05.03.1987Terrier MalemuteSøndre StrømfjordNASA 29.026UE
03.04.1989Terrier MalemuteWallops IslandNASA 29.027UE
04.09.1989Terrier MalemuteBarking SandsSDIO Starmate
11.09.1989Terrier MalemuteBarking SandsSDIO Starmate
29.03.1990Terrier MalemuteWallops IslandSDIO Laser Target
25.04.1990Terrier MalemuteWallops IslandSDIO BSUV
30.07.1990Terrier MalemuteRoi-NamurNASA 29.028UE
02.08.1990Terrier MalemuteRoi-NamurNASA 29.029UE
20.10.1990Terrier MalemuteWallops IslandSDIO
24.05.1992Terrier MalemuteBarking SandsCDX
10.06.2003Terrier MalemuteWallops IslandNASA 29.035UP
07.08.2004Terrier MalemuteRoi-NamurNASA 29.037UE
15.08.2004Terrier MalemuteRoi-NamurNASA 29.036UE
09.09.2017Terrier MalemuteKwajalein IslandNASA 29.042UE
23.04.2019Terrier MalemuteBarking SandsHOT SHOT 2
24.04.2019Terrier MalemuteBarking SandsHOT SHOT 3
20.10.2021Terrier MalemuteWallops IslandH4H 1
20.10.2021Terrier MalemuteWallops IslandH4H 2
20.10.2021Terrier MalemuteWallops IslandH4H 3

The Terrier Improved Malemute uses a Terrier Mk. 70 rocket motor for the first stage and a surplus MIM-104 Patriot motor for the second stage. The Terrier Improved Malemute has made two successful test flights and two failed attempts. Two of these rockets were successfully used in 2012 in the Anomalous Transport Rocket Experiment upper atmospheric study.
On 26 November 2019, a Terrier Improved Malemute suborbital sounding rocket was launched from Ny-Ålesund, Norway. The rocket conducted the ICI-5 mission for NASA and Norwegian research institutes. The purpose of the mission was ionosphere research. The suborbital flight, with an apogee of, was a partial failure as the rocket experienced a roll rate anomaly, precluding the on board instruments from functioning as intended.
Terrier Improved Malemute was launched more than thirty times between 2010 and 2023:
DateSitePayload
27.03.2010Wallops IslandNASA 12.067GT / ADAMASat / CP1U
11.01.2012Wallops IslandNASA 12.074GT
27.03.2012Wallops IslandNASA 46.002UE
27.03.2012Wallops IslandNASA 46.003UE
21.09.2012Wallops IslandNASA 46.004GO
07.05.2013Roi-NamurNASA 46.001UE
13.08.2013Wallops IslandNASA 46.005UO
02.07.2014Wallops IslandNASA 46.007GP
26.01.2015Poker FlatNASA 46.009UE
26.01.2015Poker FlatNASA 46.010UE
18.04.2015Wallops IslandNASA 46.008UO
12.08.2015Wallops IslandNASA 46.012UO
01.03.2016Wallops IslandNASA 46.011GP
17.08.2016Wallops IslandNASA 46.014UO
29.06.2017Wallops IslandNASA 46.015GT
13.08.2017Wallops IslandNASA 46.017UO
25.03.2018Wallops IslandNASA 46.019UO
14.08.2018Wallops IslandNASA 46.021UO
13.01.2019Ny-ÅlesundNASA 46.018UO
12.08.2019Wallops IslandNASA 46.022UO
25.10.2019Wallops IslandNASA 46.020GT
26.11.2019Ny-ÅlesundNASA 46.029IE
26.05.2021Wallops IslandNASA 46.028UE
19.08.2021Wallops IslandNASA 46.030UO
11.09.2021Wallops IslandNASA 46.033AR
21.03.2022Wallops IslandNASA 46.027DR
07.04.2022Poker FlatNASA 46.031UE
11.08.2022Wallops IslandNASA 46.036UO
24.08.2022Wallops IslandNASA 46.025UE
26.10.2022Wallops IslandHOTH 2-1
27.10.2022Wallops IslandHOTH 2-2
16.08.2023Wallops IslandNASA 46.038UO