Minotaur (rocket)
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| Minotaur | |
 Minotaur-1 rocket launching Mightysat-2.1 satellite |
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| Fact sheet | |
|---|---|
| Function | Small orbital launch vehicle |
| Manufacturer | Orbital Sciences |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Size | |
| Height | 19.21 m (63.02 ft) |
| Diameter | 1.67 m (5.46 ft) |
| Mass | 36,200 kg (79,800 lb) |
| Stages | 4 |
| Capacity | |
| Payload to LEO | 580 kg (1,280 lbm) |
| Payload to SSO (700 km) |
331 kg (732 lbm) |
| Launch History | |
| Status | Active |
| Launch sites | SLC-8, Vandenberg AFB Pad-0B, Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport |
| Total launches | 7 |
| Successes | 7 |
| Maiden flight | 27 January 2000 |
| First Stage - M55E1 | |
| Engines | 1 Solid |
| Thrust | 935.000 kN (210,196 lbf) |
| Burn time | TBC |
| Fuel | Solid |
| Second Stage - SR19AJ1 | |
| Engines | 1 Solid |
| Thrust | 268 kN (60300 lbf) |
| Burn time | TBC |
| Fuel | Solid |
| Third Stage - Orion 50XL | |
| Engines | 1 Solid |
| Thrust | 118.200 kN (26,572 lbf) |
| Burn time | 74 seconds |
| Fuel | Solid |
| Fourth Stage - Orion 38 | |
| Engines | 1 Solid |
| Thrust | 34.6 kN (7,778 lbf) |
| Burn time | 68 seconds |
| Fuel | Solid |
The Minotaur I Rocket is an American solid fuel rocket designed to launch small satellites. It is built by Orbital Sciences Corporation and uses decommissioned Minuteman 2 solid rocket motors in its first and second stages, combined with Pegasus-based third and fourth stages. It is capable of putting up to 1280 lbm (580 kg) into LEO (100 nmi/185 km, 28.5 deg inclination).
The fourth launch of Minotaur I in September 2005 was a spectacular sunset launch, delivering a fast-growing cloud of colors, visible across the whole southern west coast of the United States. Local authorities reported being flooded with calls about the phenomenon.
The Minotaur I launch of the TacSat-2 spacecraft on 16 December 2006 was the first successful orbital-insertion space launch from Wallops Island, VA in 22 years.[1] It was also the innaugral launch from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) launch facility.
Contents |
[edit] Minotaur orbital flights
| Date (UTC) | Flight | Payload | Launch pad | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 27, 2000 03:03:06 | 1 | JAWSat (P98-1) (FalconSat1 / ASUSat1 / OCSE / OPAL) | SLC-8, Vandenberg AFB, CA | Success |
| July 19, 2000 20:09:00 | 2 | MightySat II.1 (Sindri, P99-1) / MEMS 2A / MEMS 2B | SLC-8, Vandenberg AFB, CA | Success |
| April 11, 2005 13:35:00 | 3 | XSS-11 | SLC-8, Vandenberg AFB, CA | Success |
| September 23, 2005 02:24:00 | 4 | Streak (STP-R1) | SLC-8, Vandenberg AFB, CA | Success |
| April 15, 2006 01:40:00 | 5 | COSMIC (FORMOSAT-3) | SLC-8, Vandenberg AFB, CA | Success |
| December 16, 2006 12:00 | 6 | TacSat-2 / GeneSat-1 | Pad 0B, Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, Wallops Island, VA | Success |
| April 24, 2007 06:48 | 7 | NFIRE | Pad 0B, Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, Wallops Island, VA | Success |
[edit] Minotaur IV
Orbital Sciences Corporation is currently developing the much more powerful Minotaur IV for the U.S. Air Force. The Minotaur IV combines U.S Government-furnished solid rocket motors from decommissioned Peacekeeper ICBMs with technologies from other Orbital-built launch vehicles, including the Minotaur I, Pegasus, and Taurus. The first Minotaur IV is currently scheduled to launch a U.S. Air Force Space Based Space Surveillance (SBSS) satellite in December 2008.[2][3]
A Minotaur V five-stage version has also been conceptualized. It would have an additional upper stage for small GTO, lunar, and interplanetary missions.
[edit] References
- ^ TacSat-2 Mission Information. NASA.
- ^ Minotaur IV. Orbital Sciences Corporation.
- ^ Boeing completes review for Space Based Space Surveillance. Spaceflight Now (January 8, 2007).
[edit] External links
- Minotaur I Rocket page
- Minotaur IV Rocket page
- Image of the September 2005 launch
- Free paper models of the Minotaur Rocket
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