(See Morton Thiokol).

The name Thiokol comes from the Greek for sulfur and glue.

-It was by chance that, when mixing elements in search for synthetic rubber, one of the best existing solid rocket fuels was discovered.

-The main military weapons (Minuteman and Pershing among others) and civil projects like the Shuttle, use Thiokol engines and mainly solid fuel.

-Thiokol absorbed RMI, Reaction Motors International, creating the Thiokol Chemical Co. Division for liquid fuel rockets like those with the military designation LR-44, LR58 and LR62, which we will see later. See also RMI.

-At a public level, Thiokol is well known for having built the RSRM boosters for the Shuttle, launch ships to position satellites in orbit and supply material to space stations like the ISS.

-Thiokol, as has been said, absorbed other companies such as Reaction Motors Inc.

-And in turn, all of them are now in Morton-Thiokol.

-One inherited engine is the M19G, a Jato used in WWII, running on liquid fuel using gasoline and liquid oxygen.

“M19G”

-Another engine is the C-1 or “radiamic engine”, from LEM. It came to Thiokol via RMI.

“C-1”

“Testing an RSRM engine”

-The RSRM, sometimes known in a simplified way as SRB (Solid Rocket Booster) and less so as SRM, the generic Solid Rocket Motor.

-The first R refers to the fact that it is recoverable.

“RSRMs in action”

-These engines are just over 38 meters long and almost four meters in diameter. The weight with full load is about 1,256,000 lb and the thrust they provide is twice their weight, or 2,590,000 lbf.

-Once its fuel is consumed, they separate from the main tank and are dropped into the Atlantic Ocean, about 130 miles from the Kennedy Space Center. There they are collected and recovered. They have a parachute on the bow of the engine, similar to the Ariane 5.

“Recovery of an RSRM”

-The production of Thiokol is immense, it can be said that the main groups are the TE, TU and TX engines, which commercially have equivalent names such as Star, etc.

-Being all solid fuel, those absorbed from RMI are known as TD.

-Many engines have had natural evolution, changing the factory nomenclature, with the previous ones being withdrawn.

-Before going into details, according to the SR military specification -another equivalent- Thiokol engines have been used on:

-The Genie Air 2, the SR-49 engine.

-The SR-51 on the Titan 2 LCM-25 as a Retro Engine.

-The SSUS-A is the Thiokol TU-844.

-The SR-109 on the Maverick AGM-65.

-The SR-113 on the Harm AGM-88.

-The SR-114 also on the Maverick AGM-65.

-And so on.

-To be more specific, we can begin with a more detailed description of the range currently in use:

-The Star 5A are the TE-M-863-1 with low thrust, 17 Kgf for 32 sec.

-However, the Star 5C (TE-M-344-16) delivers 200 Kgf but only for 3 seconds.

“Star 5A and 5C”

-The Star 6B is known at Thiokol as the TE-M-790-1 giving 255 Kgf for 6 seconds. It weighs 4 Kg empty and 10 Kg in total with the load.

“Star 6, TE-M-541”

“Star 6B”

-The Star 10 is the TE-M-195, and the Star 12 and 12A are the TE-M236 and TE-M236-3 respectively. They are very similar in appearance but not in size and thrust, varying from 350 kgf for the former to 740 kgf for the latter.

“Star 10, 12, 12A”

-The TEs, known as Star, are used on various missiles in propulsion or retro-propulsion (braking) roles.

-The TE-M-29 Recruit is used on the X-17. The TE-M-424 Saturn as a retro rocket.

“Star 13A and 13B”

-The Star 13A (TE-M-516) gives 600 kgf while the 13B (TE-M-763) reaches 775 kgf. Both for 15 seconds.

-The same occurs with the Star 17 (TE-M-479) and the Star 17B (TE-M-521-5), with the former delivering 1,115 kgf for 18 seconds and the latter 1,633 kgf for 19 seconds.

“Star 17”

-Also similar are the Star 20 and 20B, but with a thrust of 2,760 kgf, the former and 2,500 kgf the latter. References TE-M-640-1 and TE-M-604-4 respectively. The consumption time is 31 seconds.

“Star 20 and 20B”

-The Star 24 is the TE-M-604, with a thrust of 1,890 kgf for 30 seconds.

“Star 24”

-The Star 26 and 26B are the TE-M-442 and -1, with a thrust of around 3,500 kgf for a burn time of 18 seconds. Including the nozzle it is shorter than the Star 24.

“Star 26 and 26B”

-The Star 27 (TE-M-616) gives approx. 2,700 kgf for 37 seconds and like many of the previous ones it is used as an apogee rocket engine for placing satellites in orbit, several of them for the GPS system.

“Star 27”

-The Star 30BP (TE-M-700-20) of 2,750 kgf for 54.9 seconds is another apogee engine for satellites such as SATCOM and G-STAR. Like other previous ones, it has a high percentage of HTPB solid fuel. It is similar in appearance to the Star 27.

“Star 31”

-The Star 31 stands out for having the Kevlar filament wound chamber body. It runs on mixed solid fuel based on HTPB, AP and A1. It delivers 8,390 kgf for 45 seconds.

“Star 37B” (PiP)

“Star 37-B”

-The 37B was the TE-M-364-2. The last model in the box, is the 37E (TE-M-364-4), somewhat larger and it delivers 15,000 lbs of thrust for 43.6 seconds. It was used on the upper stages of the USAF Burner I and II.

“Star 37XF and 37FM” (PiP)

-The Star 37 series is quite extensive. The 37FM gives 4,800 kgf of thrust for 64.5 seconds.

“Star 48”

-The Star 48A-ln (long nozzle) is the TE-M-799. As a reference, the total weight with load is 2,582 kg while the tare, the empty engine is 152 kg.

“Star 63”

-The Star 63D is the TU-936 with 8,640 kgf of thrust during 107 seconds, and the 63F is the TE-M-963-2, giving 10,660 kgf for 120 seconds of combustion.

-We finish the Star with the 75, TE-M-775-1 that gives 20,500 kgf for 106.6 seconds.

“Thiokol Star 75”

-TU series engines are seen in larger vehicles, sometimes as main engines.

-This is the case of the TU-122 (M55) with 90,720 lbf of thrust that belongs to the first Minuteman missiles.

“TU-122 on the Minuteman”

-The TU-122, the M-55 and the TX-55 are the same engine with a thrust of 80,700 Kgf for 262 seconds.

-We observe that the engine has four outputs in the main stage of the Minuteman I.

-We have also seen this in the Snecma engines (SEP and SEPR).

-Below is a photograph of an unknown Thiokol with four nozzles.

“Unidentified Thiokol engine”

-The TU-289 is the Genie engine also used on missiles. The TU-412, TU-393, YU-312, TU-562, etc. are Booster engines.

“TU-289, Genie”

-The Peacemaker I is the TU-903, a 224,796 Kgf solid engine that burns for 56 seconds.

-The M-33s are the solid boosters known as Castor I, mounted around the Thor Agena, Scout and Delta D/G.

-The Castor, whose program began around 1988, with the Castor 25 being one of the first, and with the Castor 120, one of the last known in the year 1992.

-The Castor 120 uses composite materials in its envelope, such as carbon fiber.

“Castor 120 test”

-The TX engines are also used on missiles, such as the TX-48-6 on the Patriot. The TX-156 is a solid rocket engine from the year 1966.

-The TX-354-3 is the Castor 2 of 26,400 kgf for 37 seconds, mounted on the Scout, Deltas and licensed in Japan for the H-1.

-The TX-175 gives 9,718 Kgf for 39 seconds in the Pershing I for example.

-The X-248 solid fuel engine is used on the Deltas (Altair 1) A/B/C etc.

-This engine was also used on the Atlas and Able, from 1959 to 1969. Its thrust is 1270 Kgf.

-The 248A version (Altair 1A) of 1,400 kgf, was fitted on the Scout X1, X2 and X3.

-The X-254 (Antares 1A) was fitted on the Blue Scout. The X-258 (Altair 2) gave 22,70 Kgf for 28 seconds. And the X-259 and -A  on the Antares 2 and 3.

-Returning to the liquid-fueled engines of the absorbed RMI, there is the YLR-44 RM-1 installed on the Sparrow AAM-N-6 and on the White Lance GAM-79.

-The LR-58 RM-1was fitted on the Bullpups and Bulldogs. The LR-62 RM-1 was installed in the Bullpups as well.

“Two views of the XLR-99”

-The XLR-99 has been the TD-214 at Thiokol. Continuing with the LR equivalence, the TD-174 was the LR-44 of the Guardian, for example.

-The LR-58 has been the TD-187 and the LR-62 the TD-232.

From Appendix 6: From Thiokol Chemical Corporation and its Reaction Motors Division (formerly RMI) is shown the Vernier Thruster TD-339 engine for the Surveyor Lunar Lander program.

-Being used for correction maneuvers, it ran on liquid fuels such as Monomethyl Hydrate Hydrazine (MMH-H2O) as fuel, with Nitrogen Tetroxide mixed with Nitric Oxide (MON) as the oxidizer.

-The mixture of both is hypergolic, meaning it is self-igniting.

“El TD-339” (PiP)

From Appendix A4/6: (See Morton-Thiokol as well.) In the 1950s/60s, Thiokol solid-fuel engines already powered the Nike series -or family-.

“Four examples of Nikes” (PiP)

-The boosters used on the first stage of the flight are the ones highlighted in white.

-The first one on the left is the Ajax with a range of 20 miles. The following Nike Hercules reaches 70 miles. The third one is a test vehicle and the Zeus is the last one.

-Regarding their use on the famous Sidewinders we see them on the AIM-9B, on the AIM-9E and on the AIM-9J/N.

“Sidewinder range”

-The Thiokol M55 engine was used on the first stage of the Minuteman LGM-30A, B, F and G. with 210,000 lbf of thrust. Or in the third stage of the 30G, an SR73-AJ/TC-1.

“Minuteman”

-The Blue Scouts also used a Thiokol engine on the first stage of the Junior, an XM-33 Castor.

-A Castor 2 in the second stage of the Blue Scout I

“Blue Scout Junior”

From Appendix 9: There is an equivalence based on the official USA reference for the usual pairing between the factory TE-Ms with the more commercial “Star-”.

-Thus, the 105KS-45.220 is the Star-75.

“Star-63D”

-The 118KS-19050 is the “Star-63D”
-The 120KS-23520 is the “Star-63F”.

“Star-63F”

-The 14.8KS-1708 is the Star-13B.
-The 15.3KS-1320 is the Star-13A.
-The 16.8KS-7870 is the Star-26C.
-17.6KS-2460 is the Star-17
-17.8KS-7500 is the Star-26.
-17.8KS-7784 is the Star-26B
-19.4KS -3600 is the Star-17A

“Star-17A”

-2.67KS-459 is the Star-5C
-2.80KS-439 is the Star-5C and CB
-27.5KS-6100 is the Star-20
-28KS-4825 is the Star-24C
-29.5KS-4170 is the Star-24
-30.1KS-5500 is the Star 20B
-32.02KS-38 is the Star-5A
-34.35KS-6010 is the Star-27
-5.9KS-565 is the Star-6B
-51KS-7340 is the Star-30C

“Star-30C”

-54KS-6070 is the Star-30BP
-63KS-10625 is the Star37FM
-66KS-8550 is the Star-37xFP
-7.5KS-1250 is the Star 12
-7.5KS-1630 is the Star12A
-87.2KS-17335 are the Star-48A and B

Star-48A and B”

-9.00KS-755 is the Star-10

-To sum up, the Star series has the following list as of today: 10, 12A, 13, 13A, 13B, 13C, 13D, 13E, 15, 17, 17A, 20, 20 Sph, 20A, 20B, 24, 24A, 24B, 24C,25, 26, 26B, 26C, 27, 27A, 27B, 27C, 27D, 27E, 30A, 30B, 30BP, 30C, 30E, 31E, 31, 37, 37B, 37C, 37D, 37E, 37F, 37XFP, 37Y, 40, 48, 48.8, 48A.1, 48 As, 48B, 48B.1, 48Bs, 48V, 5, 5A, 5C, 5C/CB, 6, 62, 63, 63D, 63F, 6A, 6B,, 75, 92.

“Star-24C”

“Star-26 and 26B”

“Star-30BP”

“Star 30E”

“Star-37FM”

“Star-48A-ln Long Nozzle”

“Star-48A-sn Short Nozzle”

“Star-48B-ln Long Nozzle”

“Star-48B-sn Short Nozzle”

-Two solid fuel models have been the T-40 and T-55.

-And also the following TD, TE and TE-M equivalents:

-TD-174 (LR-44), TD-187 (LR-58), TD-232 (LR-62).

-TE-307 ( ), TE-307 ( ), TE-388 ( ), TE-416 ( ), TE-478 ( ), TE-184-3 (Star-25), TE-186-2 (Star-40).

-TE-M-195 (Star-10), TE-M-236 (Star-12), TE-M-236-3 (Star-12A), TE-M-251 (Star-20), TE-M-344-15 (Star 5C-CB), TE-M-344-16 (Star-5C), TE-M-345-11/12 (Star 13C), TE-M-364-1 (Star-37), TE-M-364-11 (Star-37G), TE-M-364-14 (Star-37N), TE-M-364-15 (Star-37S), TE-M-364-18 (Star-37C), TE-M-364-19 (Star-37F), TE-M-364-2 (Star-37B), TE-M-364-3 (Star-37D), TE-M-364-4 (Star-37E), TE-M-375 (Star-13D), TE-M-385 (Star-13E), TE-M-442 (Star-26), TE-M-442-1 (Star-26B), TE-M-442-2 (Star-26C), TE-M-444 (Star-13F), TE-M-
456-2 (Star-15), TE-M-458 (Star-13), TE-M-479 (Star-17), TE-M-500 (Star-5), TE-M-516 (Star-13A), TE-M-521-5 (Star-17A), TE-M-541-3 (Star-6), TE-M-542-3 ( Star-6A),
TE-M-604 ( Star-24), TE-M-604-2 (Star-24A), TE-M-604-3 (Star-24B), TE-M-604-4 (Star-20B), TE-M-616 (Star-27), TE-M-616-1 (Star-27A), TE-M-616-4 (Star 27E), TE-M-616-5 (Star-27C), TE-M-616-8 (Star-27D), TE-M-616-9 (Star-27E), TE-M-640 (FW-4S), TE-M-640-1 (Star-20), TE-M-640-1 (Star-20), TE-M-640-3 (Star-20A), TE-M-700-18 (Star-30C), TE-M-700-19 (Star-30E), TE-M-700-2 (Star-30), TE-M-700-20 (Star-30BP), TE-M-700-4 (Star-30A), TE-M-700-5 (Star-30B), TE-M-711-17 (Star-48B), TE-M-711-18 (Star-48B-1),, TE-M-3 (Star-48), TE-M-711-8 (Star-48.8), TE-M-714-1 (Star-37X), TE-M-714-16/17 (Star-37XP), TE-M-714-2 (Star-37Y), TE-M-714-6 (Star-37XF), TE-M-714-8 (Star-37XF8), TE-M-731 (Star-62), TE-M-762 (Star-31), TE-M-763 (Star-13B), TE-M-775-1 (Star-75), TE-M-783 (Star-37FM), TE-M-790-1 (Star-6B), TE-M-799 (Star-48B), TE-M-799-1 (Star-48As), TE-M-863-1 (Star-5A), TE-M-940-1 (Star-48V), TE-M-963 (Star-63F).

-TU and TX Equivalents:

-TU-715, TU-716, TU-758, TU-844 (SSUSA), TU-903, TU-904, TU-936 (Star-63D).

-TX-135, TX-174, TX-175, TX-20, TX-238, TX-239, TX-261-3, TX-30, TX-33, TX-354-3 (Castor-2), TX-454, TX-481-(SR-109), TX-500, TX-52, TX-526 (Castor-4), TX633 (SR-114), TX-664-4, TX-77, TX-780 (Castor 4A), TX-780B (Castor 4B), TX-78XL (Castor-4AXL), TX-859 (Castor 4BXL).

Other engines:

-X-248, X-248A. X-254, X-258, X-259, X-259A, XLR-99, Yardbird, Altair I, Altair IA, (X-248A), Altair 2 (X-258), Altair 3 (Star-20 TW-4S y TEM-640).

-Antares 1A (X-254), Antares 2 ( (259), Antares 3 (Star-31F), Antares 3A (X-259A).

-RSRM Booster,SARV retro MK-1 (Star-10), SARV retro Mk-IV (Star-12), SM-3 TSRM, SR-109, SR-11 (LGM-30), .SR-113, SR-114, SR-49, SR-51, SRB, Castor 120, Cajun, Cygnus 5 -15 -20,

-And the FW-4D, FW-4S, M-55A1, M-55 (TX-55 and Tu-122), M-33-20-4, MB-1, Mk-17, Mk-104, Mk-36, LR-44, LR-58, LR-62, Peacekeeper I, Pershing 2 ST1 and 2, Pollux, SICBM, SRB,

-NOTE = More info at <astronautix.com> and <eureka.com>.

From Appendix 10: We have received two photographs of the following Star series motors:

Thiokol Star-37F (TE-M-354-19)

"Thiokol Star-6 (TE-M-541)"

“SRAM Solid-fuel Thiokol Motor”

-The SRAM engine was a LL or “Long Life” engine suitable for long periods of time in warehouses and silos without special attention and rapid firing.

“Hypergolic Engine: Solid-Liquid C-1”

-It uses N2O4 and MMH or Aerozine. It was used for reentry on the Saturn and other applications.

“Thiokol C-1 cross-section”

-Thiokol and ATK are the builders of the solid booster engines that are attached to both sides of the Space Shuttle's giant tank.

“SRB and SRM Solid-fuel Engines” (Declassified)