The M-100 was a two-stage Soviet sounding rocket. As some 6640 of these rockets were built between 1957 and 1990, it was the most used sounding rocket model ever. Payloads typically radioed science data to ground while descending by parachute. Cross-calibrations with Western counterparts has allowed data's inclusion in global databases. Production ceased following the

dissolution of the Soviet Union The Soviet Union was formally dissolved as a sovereign state and subject of international law on 26 December 1991 by Declaration No. 142-N of the Soviet of the Republics of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union. Declaration No. 142-Н of ...

. M-100 rockets were launched from sites in the former

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

. Launches also took place from Kerguelen island, TERLS in

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

, Koroni in Greece, Akita in Japan and Ahtopol in

Bulgaria Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern portion of the Balkans directly south of the Danube river and west of the Black Sea. Bulgaria is bordered by Greece and Turkey t ...

. Notably, tests with sounding rockets such as the M-100 under the Indian Space Research Organization allowed for the development of the Rohini rockets.{{Cite web , title=Sounding Rockets , url=https://www.isro.gov.in/soundingRockets.html , access-date=17 May 2025 , website=Indian Space Research Organisation (IRSO)

Data

* Payload: 15 kg * Maximum flight height: 120 km * Launch mass: 475 kg * Diameter: 0.3 m * Length: 8.34 m

References

M-100 at Encyclopedia Astronomica
Sounding rockets of the Soviet Union