Research and Testing

Equipment, Programmes, Techniques and Projects. Lake Hart, a dry saltpan approximately 25 miles from the rocket town of Woomera in South Australia, was on December 10, 1963, the scene of a successful static firing of a Blue Streak rocket vehicle similar to that which is to be used as the first stage of the three stage satellite launching vehicle being developed by the European Launcher Development Organization. That test firing, which lasted for 20 seconds, as intended, marked the successful completion of tests at Lake Hart to confirm the compatibility of the complex ground installations with the Blue Streak Vehicle shipped from Great Britain to Australia in June last year. This particular Blue Streak rocket was developed specifically as a non‐flight vehicle to ensure its early availability in Australia to perform these essential ground proving trials. The successful firing is an important milestone in the initial 5 year programme of ELDO: it is particularly significant that this test firing has taken place within a few days of the date originally scheduled for the event more than a year ago.