RM-89 Blue Scout I

The RM-89 Blue Scout I was an American sounding rocket of the Scout family, a four-stage vehicle derived from the Scout X-1. It flew four times from Launch Complex 18B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station between January 1961 and April 1962. The first two launches, on 7 January and 9 May 1961, carried HETS A1 plasma research experiments on suborbital trajectories, and although both were successful, recovery of the payload failed. Two further launches on 12 April 1962 carried a payload intended to investigate atmospheric re-entry and failed because of problems with the Blue Scout. The Blue Scout II, a four-stage derivative, followed it and flew in 1961.