Published online by Cambridge University Press: 04 July 2016
During 1961 preliminary consideration was given by the Weapons Research Establishment to the possibility of measuring the structure of the upper atmosphere by pressure probes on sounding rockets. A similar technique had been used with success in the USA. It was proposed that velocity be measured and that an incidence meter be used to measure pitot and static pressures, from which atmospheric pressure and density could be calculated. There was available at the time comprehensive calibration information on hemispherical-headed incidence meters at Mach numbers below 3. Since the sounding rocket would be flying within the Mach number range 3 to 6 there was a need to extend the existing calibrations to higher Mach numbers. At first it seemed that the results of Baer would do this, but a closer examination showed that his results did not agree with the incidence meter calibrations.