HC Deb 06 December 1967 vol 755 cc343-5W
113. Mr. Dalyell

asked the Minister of Technology when he now estimates that the European Launcher Development Organisation will launch its next test satellite, at Woomera.

Mr. Stonehouse

The first E.L.D.O. launching intended to put a test satellite in orbit is planned for June, 1968.

Mr. Dalyell

asked the Minister of Technology if he will state the British share of the cost of Project Sparta; and what success the series of Project Sparta rockets have had in obtaining novel information on the problems of re-entry into the earth's atmosphere.

Mr. Stonehouse

Sparta is primarily an American/Australian programme in which the U.K. has participated, in its rôle as a joint partner with Australia in the operation of the Woomera range. The U.K. share of the Woomera costs attributable to Sparta trials has totalled £490,000. The series of launchings has been successfully accomplished and valuable scientific information resulting from it has been made available to us.

Mr. Dalyell

asked the Minister of Technology if he will state the cost to date of the United Kingdom Black Arrow satellite launcher development at Woomera; and if he will make a statement on the military value of the project.

Mr. Stonehouse

Costs to date at the Woomera Range, in respect of prelimin- ary work in connection with the Black Arrow programme, total £30,000.

Black Arrow is a civil programme aimed at maintaining U.K. capability in the field of space technologies and has no military objectives.

Mr. Dalyell

asked the Minister of Technology (1) if he will make a statement on the problems of the ignition of the second stage in the European Launcher Development Organisation rockets, currently being launched at Woomera;

(2) what study he has now made of the telemetry records of the failure of the Coralie rocket, launched at Woomera, to ignite on 4th August 1967; and if he will make a statement on the analysis;

(3) what study he has made of the signalling components in the British Blue Streak rocket launched at Woomera on 4th August 1967; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Stonehouse

The firing on 4th August 1967 was the first in which the French second stage of the E.L.D.O. launcher had a live motor. The Blue Streak first stage, including all its telemetry and other electronic equipment functioned entirely satisfactorily, but the second stage did not ignite. A study by the French and E.L.D.O. authorities, assisted by experts from the Royal Aircraft Establishment and Hawker Siddeley Dynamics, has established that a fault occurred in the electrical power supply of the second stage. A modification was incorporated in the next vehicle. At the launching of this vehicle on 6th December, however, a fault again developed in the second stage. I await details.

Mr. Dalyell

asked the Minister of Technology if he will make a statement on the F6/2 firing at Woomera.

Mr. Stonehouse

The launching took place on 6th December and was partly successful in that whilst the stage one (British Blue Streak) is understood to have functioned entirely successfully a failure occurred in the second stage of the rocket. I am awaiting details.

Mr. Dalyell

asked the Minister of Technology if he will set out a table showing the annual cost on his Vote since its inception of the Woomera Project.

Mr. Stonehouse

COSTS TO THE UNITED KINGDOM OF THE WOOMERA PROJECT
Year £ million
1948 to 1952–53 (breakdown not available) 3.80
1953–54 .90
1954–55 1.71
1955–56 3.47
1956–57 4.62
1957–58 4.29
1958–59 5.42
1959–60 10.55
1960–61 13.33
1961–62 13.05
1962–63 10.97
1963–64 9.06
1964–65 8.16
1965–66 6.90
1966–67 6.22

Note: The costs include:—

(a) Payments to the Australian Government.

(b) Cost of range equipment, including target aircraft, supplied from the United Kingdom.

(c) Cost of support to Woomera activities provided by the Royal Air Force and by United Kingdom contractors.

(d) Associated air ferry costs.

Mr. Dalyell

asked the Minister of Technology if he will make a statement on the effect of the recent delays on the long-term European Launcher Development Organisation time-table at Woomera.

Mr. Stonehouse

The delays so far experienced do not affect the long-term time-table of the Organisation.