[Illustration: 24. Rocket was fired directly through the apex of the balloon. Drawing shows the first stage falling away as second-stage rocket takes over.] Farside was a four-stage rocket launched from a balloon as an extremely high-altitude research vehicle. Achieving heights estimated at 6400 kilometers (4000 miles). Farside’s instrument payload was intended to study cosmic rays, earth’s magnetic field, certain forms of electromagnetic radiation in space, the presence of interplanetary gases, and the nature of meteoric dust. The 908-kilogram (2000-pound) Farside was lifted to an altitude of 30.5 kilometers (19 miles) by a polyethylene balloon. An aluminum structure suspended from the balloon carried the 7.3-meter (24-foot) rocket to launch altitude. Positioned vertically in its casing, Farside was fired directly through the balloon. Six Farsides were launched by the United States in 1957 from Eniwetok Atoll in the Pacific. Farside’s first stage consisted of four solid-fuel Recruit rockets, manufactured by Thiokol Chemical Company. A single Recruit served as the second stage. Four Arrow II solid-fuel rockets by the Grand Central Rocket Company constituted the third stage. The final stage, a single Arrow II, carried the instrument payload provided by S. F. Singer of the University of Maryland. Farside was developed by Aeronutronics Systems, Inc., for the U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research and Development. The rocket on exhibit is from the Aeronutronics Division, Ford Motor Company. Length 7.3 m. (24 ft.) Propellants Solid Thrust First stage 68,220 kg. (150,400 lb.) Second stage 17,055 kg. (37,600 lb.) Third state 4120 kg. (9080 lb.) Fourth stage 1030 kg. (2270 lb.) Velocity 29,000 km./hr. (18,000 mi./hr.) Altitude 3220-6440 km. (2000-4000 mi.) Nike-Cajun [Illustration: 25. Nike-Cajun ready for launch.] [Illustration: 26. Nike-Cajun launch.] The Nike-Cajun was used extensively during International Geophysical Year (1957-58) to perform a variety of research tasks. These included weather photography, studies of water-vapor distribution in the upper atmosphere, and magnetic soundings in the ionosphere. For photographic studies, the instrument package separated from the nose cone at about 80 kilometers (50 miles) and then coasted to a peak altitude of about 120 kilometers (75 miles), during which time data was collected. Then parachutes opened, lowering the cameras for recovery. Other data was radioed to Earth. The Cajun rocket was developed by the Pilotless Aircraft Division of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics and the University of Michigan. The solid-fuel engine was designed and manufactured by Thiokol Chemical Company. The Nike booster was also solid fuel. The rocket on exhibit is from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.