Woomera Rockets and Weapons Tests

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Woomera Test Range - Rocket Launches and Weapons Tests

This page is a work in progress and will be added to later.

The Anglo-Australian Joint Project

The best source of information about the historic rocket programs at Woomera that I have found is a .pdf document titled 'Fire Across the Desert' produced by the Defence Science & Technology Organisation. This 600 page document is an extensive account of the Joint Anglo Australian Project (loaded with facts but it takes a while to read).
DSTO Report "Fire Across the Desert" (.pdf)

Major Satellite Launchers & Experimental Missiles

Black Knight - Experimental ballistic missile, 1958-1965
Black Arrow - British satellite launcher, placed Prospero into orbit in 1971.
Blue Streak - Initially a ballistic missile, later the first stage for Europa
Europa - ELDO project, largest rockets launched at Woomera, 1964-1970
USA Redstone Sparta Program
WRESAT - Australia's first satellite, 1967
Aero High - Altitude Sounding Rocket
Aerobee

Picture: Blue Streak (Europa First Stage)

Sounding Rockets (Upper Atmosphere Research)

Skylark - British sounding rocket, 266+ launches 1957–1979
Long Tom - First Australian-developed sounding rocket, 1957
HAD - Australian High Altitude Density rocket
HAT - High Altitude Temperature rocket
Lorikeet - Used Australian Dorado motor
Cockatoo
Stonechat
Rook - First Stage for the Leopard & Jaguar supersonic test vehicles
Jaguar
Black Brant - Cooaborative Canadian & Australian collaboration of Black Brant VB model
Petrel - Supersonic target
Picture: Skylark

Military Missiles & Weapons Systems

Thunderbird Series - Red Shoes, Green Flax, Yellow Temple
Bloodhound - Surface-to-air defense
Blue Jay
Blue Steel Missile
Sea Dart & Sea Wolf
Dorado Rocket Motor - Australian made
Project Karinga Test Vehicle
Blindfire Rapier
Picture: Bristol Bloodhound Surface-to-Air Missile

Target Drones & Research Vehicles

Jindivik (Australian-designed pilotless target aircraft)
Meteor (Converted WWII aircraft drone)
Canberra Bomber (Converted to remotely controlled target)
Picture: Jindivik Target Drone

Ghostbat & other Recent Tests

Ghostbat: Australian designed and made drone
SCIFire HACM: Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile
GMLRS (To be tested 2026) Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System
Picture: Ghostbat