Nike Smoke

The Nike Smoke was a meteorological sounding flown in the 1960's. Developed by NASA, the Nike Smoke was used to study the behaviors of wind at high altitudes. The Nike Smoke rocket consisted of a Thiokol M5 solid rocket motor, which was borrowed from the missile program known as "Project Nike", and a conical nose fairing. 37 liters of Titanium Tetrachloride was stored inside the fairing, and was released via ram air pressure through vents at the base of the fairing after launch. This would create a highly visible "smoke" trail extending from 6,000 feet to 75,000 feet. High altitude winds would create visible striations in the trail, and observers on the ground would record the visual data.

While NASA no longer flies the Nike Smoke, subscale versions of this rocket are still flown by hobbyists. Some versions built by those with high power rocketry certifications are even as large as 3/4 scale!

This model of the Nike Smoke sounding rocket comes with a scaled launch pad and launch rail system. (Titanium Tetrachloride sold separately!)

Launch Pad Controls:

-Slider 1: Adjusts pad angle via pad outriggers.

-Slider 2: Elevates launch rail.