Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 25, 2026

Malemute

Malemute is the designation of an American sounding rocket family. The original Malemute had a maximum flight altitude of 165 km, a liftoff thrust of 57.00 kN, a total mass of 100 kg, a diameter of 0.41 m and a total length of 2.40 m. It was a single stage vehicle powered by a Thiokol Malemute TU-758 engine, operated by Sandia National Laboratories (SNL).

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Launch of Terrier Improved Malemute from the Wallops Flight Facility source ↗

Malemute is the designation of an American sounding rocket family.1 The original Malemute had a maximum flight altitude of 165 km, a liftoff thrust of 57.00 kN, a total mass of 100 kg, a diameter of 0.41 m and a total length of 2.40 m.1 It was a single stage vehicle powered by a Thiokol Malemute TU-758 engine,1 operated by Sandia National Laboratories (SNL).1

It was used for used for conducting upper atmosphere research in various missions to study phenomena such as auroras, ionosphere and cosmic radiation. Over the years more advanced versions were developed.234 The original Malemute was retired in 19991 but variants such as the Terrier Improved Malemute remain in service.5

Versions

A number of versions exist, with the addition of a second or third stages, and using different first stage engines.23678 Improved Malemute versions are powered by surplus Thiokol TX-486-1 engines from MIM-104 Patriot missiles.9

Version First Stage Second Stage Third Stage
Malemute,1 Malemute-2 TU-758 - -
Improved Malemute (PAAT)3 TX-486-1
Improved Malemute Improved Orion (IM/IO) M112
Improved Malemute Improved Malemute (IM/IM) TX-486-1
Terrier Improved Malemute5610 Terrier MK12
Terrier MK70
S-31 Improved Malemute1112 S31
Red Kite Improved Malemute13 RK
Terrier Malemute8 Terrier MK12 TU-758
Nike Malemute1415 Nike M5E1
S-31 Improved Malemute Improved Orion1112 S31 TX-486-1 M112

Launches

Malemute rockets were launched from Andøya Space Center, Esrange Space Center, Kauai Test Facility, Tonopah Test Range and White Sands Missile Range.2

Date Rocket Version Launch site Mission
22.07.1976 Malemute Tonopah Test Range Sandia 497-006
24.07.1976 Malemute Tonopah Test Range Sandia 497-007
19.04.1979 Malemute-2 Tonopah Test Range Sandia 497-009
01.07.1999 Malemute-2 Kauai Test Facility TMBD Target (Slugger)
30.06.2016 Improved Malemute Andøya Space Center MaxiDusty 1 (IM QUAL 1)
08.07.2016 Improved Malemute Andøya Space Center MaxiDusty 1B (IM QUAL 2)
17.02.2018 S-31 Improved Malemute Esrange Space Center MAPHEUS 71112
13.04.2018 Improved Malemute Andøya Space Center PMWE 1
13.04.2018 Improved Malemute Andøya Space Center PMWE 2
20.02.2020 Improved Malemute Esrange Space Center SPIDER 2
24.05.2021 Improved Malemute Improved Malemute Esrange Space Center MAPHEUS 11
12.08.2021 Improved Malemute White Sands Missile Range ET-2 (Economical Target 2)
07.09.2021 Improved Malemute White Sands Missile Range ET-2 (Economical Target 2)
01.10.2021 Improved Malemute Andøya Space Center PMWE 3
01.10.2021 Improved Malemute Andøya Space Center PMWE 4
06.12.2021 Improved Malemute Improved Malemute Esrange Space Center MAPHEUS 10
29.01.2022 Improved Malemute Improved Malemute Esrange Space Center MAPHEUS 9
21.10.2022 Improved Malemute Improved Malemute Esrange Space Center MAPHEUS 12
23.03.2023 Improved Malemute Improved Orion Esrange Space Center BROR
22.05.2023 Improved Malemute Improved Malemute Esrange Space Center MAPHEUS 13
24.01.2025 Improved Malemute Esrange Space Center ORIGIN I
05.07.2025 Improved Malemute Andøya Space Center MaxiDusty-2
References

References

Citations

  1. "Malemute". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
  2. "Malemute". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
  3. "Imp. Malemute". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
  4. Koehler, Keith; NASA. "NASA completes investigation of July 2014 Terrier-Improved Malemute sounding rocket failure". phys.org. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  5. "Terrier Improved Malemute". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  6. "NASA Types of Sounding Rockets". NASA.gov/Types of Sounding Rockets.
  7. "DLR MoRaBa, mission calendar". DLR MoRaBa.
  8. "Terrier Malemute". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  9. "Patriot". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2026-05-17.
  10. NASA Sounding Rockets User Handbook (PDF). Peraton Inc., NASA Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island. May 2023.
  11. Barbosa, Rui C. (2018-02-19). "S31-Improved Malemute lança MAPHEUS-7". Em Órbita (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2025-07-13.
  12. "S-30 Family". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2025-07-13.
  13. "Red Kite". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2025-07-13.
  14. "Nike Malemute". astronautix.com. Retrieved 2026-05-17.
  15. Bolster & Hoekstra 1976, p. 1

Sources