| Rockair (or "Rockaire") | |
| Image Alt: | Deacon rocket suspended from a balloon as a part of a Rockoon lanch |
| Mission Type: | Research |
| Operator: | United States Navy and Air Force |
| Mission Duration: | 491 days |
| Manufacturer: | North American Aviation and Allegany Ballistics Laboratory |
The Rockair was first suggested by Hermann Oberth in his 1929 book Wege zur Raumschiffahrt.[1] Rockair concepts were developed by both the United States Air Force and Navy, both generally finding marginal use in the concept. The Air Force began studying the concept of an air-launched sounding rocket in 1947, while the Navy managed to get the first launch on August 16, 1955, using an F2H2 off of Wallops Island. The folded-fin aerial rocket(FFAR)[2] reached an altitude of 54,864 m (180,000 ft). The Air Force followed up with their first air-launched sounding rocket concept on December 13, 1956, under the name "Rockaire".[3] A Deacon rocket was used, launched from a F-86 fighter aircraft.
The Navy Rockair had a total of 5 launches, while the Air Force Rockaire had a total of 4 for a combined 9 launches.
According to a NASA historical summary, no important scientific research was every carried out with the Rockair concept. It had very little popularity, in contrast to the "Rockoon" which was launched in the hundreds during the 1950s.
| August 16, 1955 | NAOTS | FFAR | F2H2 | 50 km(31 mi) | |
| August 16, 1955 | NAOTS | FFAR | F2H2 | 55 km(34 mi) | |
| August 16, 1955 | NAOTS | FFAR | F2H2 | 9 km(5.5 mi) | |
| November 1, 1955 | NAOTS | FFAR | F2H2 | 50 km(31 mi) | |
| November 1, 1955 | NAOTS | FFAR | F2H2 | 50 km(31 mi) |
| Date | Launch Site | Rocket | Launch Platform | Apogee | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 13, 1956 | Holloman | Deacon | F-86D | 44 km(27 mi) | |
| December 14, 1956 | Holloman | Deacon | F-86D | 42 km(26 mi) | |
| December 17, 1956 | Holloman | Deacon | F-86D | 43 km(26 mi) | |
| December 19, 1956 | Holloman | Deacon | F-86D | 45 km(27 mi) |