Aries (Previously designated: “Fat Albert”) is an American sounding rocket and target rocket, developed by Space Vector Corporation from retired LGM-30 Minuteman I intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) stages for use by the United States Air Force and NASA. Taken over by Orbital Sciences Corporation, Aries, as the Target Test Vehicle, remains in use.
Design and development
In the late 1960s, the retirement of the LGM-30 Minuteman I ICBM resulted in the opportunity to produce a high-performance sounding rocket from the surplus solid-propellant rockets that became available; the Naval Research Laboratory awarded a contract to Space Vector Corporation in 1971 to develop the "Fat Albert" rocket using the surplus Minuteman I first stages; before the first launch, the name of the rocket was changed to the "more dignified" Aries.
Aries consisted of an Aerojet M56, the second stage of the Minuteman I, fueled by ammonium perchlorate/aluminum/ polyurethane solid rocket fuel with a maximum thrust of for a burn time of 63 seconds ending at about in altitude, leaving the Aries with an “impact” empty mass. The Aries was also fitted with an aerodynamic nose cone and four tail fins, taken from the RIM-8 Talos surface-to-air missile, for stabilization. Steering was by gimbaled thrust via four gimbaled nozzles; Aries retained its guidance system, redesigned for use as a sounding rocket, allowing for more precise flight paths and use of smaller rocket ranges than other sounding rockets required; Payloads of could be lifted to apogees of up to by Aries; the maximum payload capable of being carried was to an altitude of , and an apogee of was achieved on one flight.