The Aerojet General X-8 was an unguided, spin-stabilzed sounding rocket designed to launch a 150 pound (68 kg) payload to 200,000 feet (61 km). The X-7 was later spun-off into the prolific Aerobee rocket.
Over 900 Aerobees have been constructed, and have gathered data on solar radiation, high-altitude winds, rocket aerodynamics, biological effects, and the Earth's magnetic fields.
At launch, an 18,000 pound force (80 kN) thrust Aerojet solid rocket booster fired for 2.5 seconds. After booster jettison, a 2,600 pound force (12 kN) thrust RTV-N10 liquid fuel rocket burned for up to 40 seconds (depending on desired apogee). The spent rocket then fell back in a ballistic arch, the payload returning to Earth via parachute. The baseline X-8 measured 20.2 feet (6.2 m) in length and measured 5.25 feet (1.6 m) across the fins. In testing, a maximum altitude of 138 miles (222 km) and a speed of Mach six were achieved.

Related content

Designation sequence: X-5 - X-6 - X-7 - X-8 - X-9 - X-10 - X-11