Skua is the designation of a British sounding rocket which was launched between 1959 and 1981 in 4 versions over 300 times. The Skua was developed by Bristol Aerojet and RPE Wescott. It consisted of a starting stage made up of several Chick rockets that burned for 0.2 seconds. They propelled the rocket 20 metres over the 5-metre-long launch tube. After that, the Bantam main stage ignited. The fastest jetstream velocity ever measured (656 km/h or 408 mph) was recorded by instruments on board a Skua rocket above South Uist, Outer Hebrides, Scotland at an altitude of 47,000 m (154,200 ft), on 13 December 1967. Skua 1 starting stage: 3 Chick rockets (could be one) payload: 5 kg ceiling: 70 km takeoff thrust: 20 kN takeoff weight: 58 kg diameter: 0.13 m length: 2.24 m Skua 2 starting stage: 4 Chick rockets upper stage: extended Bantam payload: 5 kg ceiling: 100 km takeoff thrust: 27 kN takeoff weight: 68 kg diameter: 0.13 m length: 2.42 m Skua 3 starting stage: 4 Chick rockets payload: 5 kg maximum height: 120 km takeoff thrust: 27 kN takeoff weight: 75 kg diameter: 0.13 m length: 2.80 m Skua 4 starting stage: 4 Chick rockets upper stage: improved Bantam payload: 8 kg maximum height: 140 km takeoff thrust: 27 kN takeoff weight: 83 kg diameter: 0.13 m length: 2.80 m References External links https://web.archive.org/web/20150824115536/http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/skua.htm 1974 in spaceflight Sounding rockets of the United Kingdom