Minotaur I
Encyclopedia
The Minotaur I, or just Minotaur is an American
expendable launch system
derived from the Minuteman II
missile. It is used to launch small satellite
s for the US Government, and is a member of the Minotaur family of rockets produced by Orbital Sciences Corporation
.
Minotaur I rockets consist of the M55A1 first stage and SR19 second stage of a decommissioned Minuteman missile. The Orion 50XL and Orion 38, from the Pegasus rocket, are used as third and fourth stages. A HAPS
upper stage can also be flown if greater precision is needed, or the rocket needs to be able to manoeuvre to deploy multiple payloads. It can place up to 580 kilograms (1,278.7 lb) of payload into a 185 kilometres (115 mi) low Earth orbit
at 28.5 degrees of inclination
.
There have been ten launches of the Minotaur I, all successful. Initially Minotaur I launches were conducted from Space Launch Complex 8
at the Vandenberg Air Force Base
. Starting with the launch of TacSat-2
in December 2006, launches have also been conducted from Pad 0B
at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport
on Wallops Island
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
expendable launch system
Expendable launch system
An expendable launch system is a launch system that uses an expendable launch vehicle to carry a payload into space. The vehicles used in expendable launch systems are designed to be used only once , and their components are not recovered for re-use after launch...
derived from the Minuteman II
LGM-30 Minuteman
The LGM-30 Minuteman is a U.S. nuclear missile, a land-based intercontinental ballistic missile . As of 2010, the version LGM-30G Minuteman-III is the only land-based ICBM in service in the United States...
missile. It is used to launch small satellite
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
s for the US Government, and is a member of the Minotaur family of rockets produced by Orbital Sciences Corporation
Orbital Sciences Corporation
Orbital Sciences Corporation is an American company which specializes in the manufacturing and launch of satellites. Its Launch Systems Group is heavily involved with missile defense launch systems...
.
Minotaur I rockets consist of the M55A1 first stage and SR19 second stage of a decommissioned Minuteman missile. The Orion 50XL and Orion 38, from the Pegasus rocket, are used as third and fourth stages. A HAPS
Haps
Haps is a village in the Dutch province of North Brabant. It is located in the municipality of Cuijk, about 5 km south of the town of Cuijk.Haps was a separate municipality until 1994, when it became a part of Cuijk....
upper stage can also be flown if greater precision is needed, or the rocket needs to be able to manoeuvre to deploy multiple payloads. It can place up to 580 kilograms (1,278.7 lb) of payload into a 185 kilometres (115 mi) low Earth orbit
Low Earth orbit
A low Earth orbit is generally defined as an orbit within the locus extending from the Earth’s surface up to an altitude of 2,000 km...
at 28.5 degrees of inclination
Inclination
Inclination in general is the angle between a reference plane and another plane or axis of direction.-Orbits:The inclination is one of the six orbital parameters describing the shape and orientation of a celestial orbit...
.
There have been ten launches of the Minotaur I, all successful. Initially Minotaur I launches were conducted from Space Launch Complex 8
Vandenberg AFB Space Launch Complex 8
Space Launch Complex 8 , is a launch pad at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, United States. It is used by Minotaur rockets...
at the Vandenberg Air Force Base
Vandenberg Air Force Base
Vandenberg Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately northwest of Lompoc, California. It is under the jurisdiction of the 30th Space Wing, Air Force Space Command ....
. Starting with the launch of TacSat-2
TacSat-2
TacSat-2 is an experimental satellite built by the USAF's Air Force Research Laboratory with an operational life expected to be not more than one year as part of the 'Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration' program.-Purpose:The TacSat series of experimental spacecraft are designed to allow...
in December 2006, launches have also been conducted from Pad 0B
Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Launch Pad 0
Launch Pad 0, Pad 0 or LP-0, also known as Launch Area 0 or LA-0, is a launch complex at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island in the United States. Prior to 2003, the complex was part of the Wallops Flight Facility. It consists of two individual launch pads, LP-0A and LP-0B...
at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport
Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport
The Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport is a commercial space launch facility located at the southern tip of NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on the Delmarva Peninsula south of Chincoteague, Virginia.-Background:...
on Wallops Island
Wallops Island
Wallops Island is a island off the east coast of Virginia, part of the barrier islands that stretch along the eastern seaboard of the United States of America.It is located in Accomack County, Virginia...
.
Launch history
| Date (UTC) | Rocket | Flight | Payload | Launch pad | Trajectory | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 27, 2000 03:03:06 | Minotaur I | 1 | JAWSat JAWSAT The Joint Air Force-Weber State University Satellite is an American military mini-satellite launched aboard a Minotaur rocket on January 27, 2000 from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. After its own launch, JAWSAT deployed four microsatellites: FalconSAT, OCSE, OPAL, and ASUSat. JAWSAT also... (P98-1) (FalconSat1 / ASUSat1 / OCSE / OPAL) |
Vandenberg Vandenberg Air Force Base Vandenberg Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately northwest of Lompoc, California. It is under the jurisdiction of the 30th Space Wing, Air Force Space Command .... SLC-8 Vandenberg AFB Space Launch Complex 8 Space Launch Complex 8 , is a launch pad at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, United States. It is used by Minotaur rockets... |
LEO | Success |
| July 19, 2000 20:09:00 | Minotaur I | 2 | MightySat II.1 MightySat-2 MightySat-2 was a small spacecraft developed by the Air Force Research Laboratory to test advanced technologies in imaging, communications, and spacecraft bus components in space.- Design :... (Sindri, P99-1) / MEMS 2A / MEMS 2B |
Vandenberg SLC-8 | LEO | Success |
| April 11, 2005 13:35:00 | Minotaur I | 3 | XSS-11 | Vandenberg SLC-8 | LEO | Success |
| September 23, 2005 02:24:00 | Minotaur I | 4 | Streak (STP-R1) | Vandenberg SLC-8 | LEO | Success |
| April 15, 2006 01:40:00 | Minotaur I | 5 | COSMIC (FORMOSAT-3) | Vandenberg SLC-8 | LEO | Success |
| December 16, 2006 12:00 | Minotaur I | 6 | TacSat-2 TacSat-2 TacSat-2 is an experimental satellite built by the USAF's Air Force Research Laboratory with an operational life expected to be not more than one year as part of the 'Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration' program.-Purpose:The TacSat series of experimental spacecraft are designed to allow... / GeneSat-1 GeneSat-1 GeneSat-1 is a fully automated, miniature spaceflight system that provides life support for bacterium. The system was launched into orbit on December 16, 2006 from Wallops Flight Facility. GeneSat-1 began to transmit data on its first pass over the mission's California ground station... |
MARS Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport The Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport is a commercial space launch facility located at the southern tip of NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on the Delmarva Peninsula south of Chincoteague, Virginia.-Background:... LP-0B Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Launch Pad 0 Launch Pad 0, Pad 0 or LP-0, also known as Launch Area 0 or LA-0, is a launch complex at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island in the United States. Prior to 2003, the complex was part of the Wallops Flight Facility. It consists of two individual launch pads, LP-0A and LP-0B... |
LEO | Success |
| April 24, 2007 06:48 | Minotaur I | 7 | NFIRE Near Field Infrared Experiment The Near Field Infrared Experiment is a satellite which was proposed and developed by the Missile Defense Agency, a division of the United States Department of Defense. It was launched atop a Minotaur rocket, from Wallops Island, at 06:48 GMT on 24 April 2007... |
MARS LP-0B | LEO | Success |
| May 19, 2009 19:55 | Minotaur I | 8 | TacSat-3 TacSat-3 TacSat-3 is the third in a series of U.S. military reconnaissance satellites. It was assembled in an Air Force Research Laboratory Space Vehicles Directorate facility at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. The TacSat satellites are all designed to demonstrate the ability to provide real-time data... |
MARS LP-0B | LEO | Success |
| February 6, 2011 12:26 | Minotaur I | 9 | NROL-66 | Vandenberg SLC-8 | LEO | Success |
| June 30th, 2011 03:09 | Minotaur I | 10 | ORS-1 | MARS Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport The Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport is a commercial space launch facility located at the southern tip of NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on the Delmarva Peninsula south of Chincoteague, Virginia.-Background:... LP-0B Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Launch Pad 0 Launch Pad 0, Pad 0 or LP-0, also known as Launch Area 0 or LA-0, is a launch complex at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island in the United States. Prior to 2003, the complex was part of the Wallops Flight Facility. It consists of two individual launch pads, LP-0A and LP-0B... |
LEO | Success |