Engineering:List of Minotaur launches

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Short description: American solid fuel launch vehicles
Minotaur on a launch pad at Wallops Flight Facility.
Minotaur 4 profile picture of it launching from its launch pad at Wallops Flight Facility.
Minotaur-C launching on its return to flight in 2017 from the launch pad at Wallops Flight Facility.

About the Minotaur

Minotaur-C (Taurus)

The Taurus launch vehicle, later renamed [1] Minotaur-C (for "Minotaur-Commercial"), was the first of the Minotaur vehicle family, and the first ground-launched orbital booster developed by Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC), derived by adding a solid booster stage to the air-launched Pegasus rocket. The first flight, sponsored by DARPA, was in 1994. After a series of failures between 2001 and 2011, the launch vehicle was rebranded as Minotaur-C in 2014. Due to laws against selling government equipment, the Minotaur-C is the only available Minotaur launch vehicle for commercial launches.[citation needed]

Minotaur I

The original Minotaur launch vehicle, consisting of an M55A1 first stage, SR19 second stage, Orion 50XL third stage, Orion 38 fourth stage, and optional HAPS fifth stage for velocity trim and multiple payload deployment. Payload 580 kg to a 185 km, 28.5° orbit from Cape Canaveral; or 310 kg to a 740 km Sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) from Vandenberg.[2]

Minotaur II

A suborbital target vehicle, essentially consisting of a Minuteman II with Orbital guidance and control systems. Consists of M55A1 first stage, SR19 second stage, and M57 third stage. Payload 460 kg on 6700 km suborbital trajectory.[2]

Minotaur III

A suborbital target vehicle, consisting of an SR118 first stage, SR119 second stage, SR120 third stage, and Super HAPS fourth stage. Payload 3060 kg on a 6700 km suborbital trajectory.[2]

Minotaur IV

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 Minotaur IV launch vehicle consists of an SR118 first stage, SR119 second stage, SR120 third stage, and Orion 38 fourth stage. Payload 1735 kg to a 185 km, 28.5° orbit from Cape Canaveral. The first Minotaur IV was launched 22 April 2010 from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California .[3] This vehicle is also being developed to accommodate the Conventional Prompt Global Strike (CPGS) mission for the Air Force.

Minotaur V

The Minotaur V is a five-stage version based on the Minotaur IV+. It has an additional upper stage for small geostationary transfer orbit (GTO), lunar, and interplanetary missions. NASA's Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) mission was launched on the first Minotaur V, from the Wallops Island, Virginia launch site at 03:27 UTC on 7 September 2013. The Minotaur launched the LADEE spacecraft into a highly elliptic orbit where it can phase and time its trajectory burn to the moon.[4]

Minotaur VI

A Minotaur VI five-stage version has also been conceptualized. It is also based on the Minotaur IV+, adding a second SR-118 first stage.[5]


Launch statistics

Rocket configurations

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Launch sites

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Launch outcomes

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Launch history

1994

Flight № Date / time (UTC) Rocket,
Configuration 		Launch site Payload Payload mass Orbit Customer Launch
outcome
1 March 13, 1994
22:32 		Taurus/Minotaur-C (ARPA Taurus) Vandenberg Air Force Base , SLC-576E STEP Mission 0 and DARPASAT United States Air Force /DARPA[6][7] Success

1998

Flight № Date / time (UTC) Rocket,
Configuration 		Launch site Payload Payload mass Orbit Customer Launch
outcome
2 February 10, 1998
13:20 		Taurus/Minotaur-C (Commercial Taurus configuration) VAFB SLC-576E GFO and Orbcomm (satellites 11,12) Success
3 October 3, 1998
10:04 		Taurus/Minotaur-C (Air Force Taurus Configuration) VAFB SLC-576E Space Technology Experiment (STEX) NRO Success

1999

Flight № Date / time (UTC) Rocket,
Configuration 		Launch site Payload Payload mass Orbit Customer Launch
outcome
4 December 21, 1999
07:13 		Taurus/Minotaur-C (Model 2110) VAFB SLC-576E KOMPSAT and ACRIMSAT Success

2000

Flight № Date / time (UTC) Rocket,
Configuration 		Launch site Payload Payload mass Orbit Customer Launch
outcome
1 January 27, 2000
03:03:06 		Minotaur I Vandenberg Air Force Base SLC-8 JAWSat (P98-1) (FalconSat1 / ASUSat1 / OCSE / OPAL) LEO Success
5 March 12, 2000
09:29 		Taurus/Minotaur-C (Air Force Taurus Configuration) VAFB SLC-576E Multispectral Thermal Imager (MTI) Success
1 May 28, 2000
20:00 		Minotaur II Vandenberg LF-06 OSP-TLV Missile Defense Technology Demonstrator Suborbital Success
2 July 19, 2000
20:09:00 		Minotaur I Vandenberg SLC-8 MightySat II.1 (Sindri, P99-1) / MEMS 2A / MEMS 2B LEO Success

2001

Flight № Date / time (UTC) Rocket,
Configuration 		Launch site Payload Payload mass Orbit Customer Launch
outcome
6 September 21, 2001
18:49 		Taurus/Minotaur-C (Model 2110) VAFB SLC-576E Orbview-4/QuikTOMS Failure
2 December 4, 2001
04:59 		Minotaur II Vandenberg LF-06 TLV-1 IFT-7 GMDS target mission Suborbital Success

2002

Flight № Date / time (UTC) Rocket,
Configuration 		Launch site Payload Payload mass Orbit Customer Launch
outcome
3 March 16, 2002
02:11 		Minotaur II Vandenberg LF-06 TLV-2 IFT-8 GMDS target mission Suborbital Success
4 October 15, 2002
02:01 		Minotaur II Vandenberg LF-06 TLV-3 GMDS target mission Suborbital Success
5 December 11, 2002
08:26 		Minotaur II Vandenberg LF-06 TLV-4 GMDS target mission Suborbital Failure

2004

Flight № Date / time (UTC) Rocket,
Configuration 		Launch site Payload Payload mass Orbit Customer Launch
outcome
7 May 20, 2004
17:47 		Taurus/Minotaur-C (Model 3210) VAFB SLC-576E ROCSAT-2 Success

2005

Flight № Date / time (UTC) Rocket,
Configuration 		Launch site Payload Payload mass Orbit Customer Launch
outcome
3 April 11, 2005
13:35:00 		Minotaur I Vandenberg SLC-8 XSS-11 LEO Success
4 September 22, 2005
19:24:00 		Minotaur I Vandenberg SLC-8 Streak (STP-R1) LEO Success

2006

Flight № Date / time (UTC) Rocket,
Configuration 		Launch site Payload Payload mass Orbit Customer Launch
outcome
5 April 15, 2006
01:40:00 		Minotaur I Vandenberg SLC-8 COSMIC (FORMOSAT-3) LEO Success
6 December 16, 2006
12:00 		Minotaur I MARS LP-0B TacSat-2 / GeneSat-1 LEO Success

2007

Flight № Date / time (UTC) Rocket,
Configuration 		Launch site Payload Payload mass Orbit Customer Launch
outcome
6 March 21, 2007
04:27 		Minotaur II Vandenberg LF-06 TLV-5 FTX-02 SBR target mission Suborbital Success
7 April 24, 2007
06:48 		Minotaur I MARS LP-0B NFIRE LEO Success
7 August 23, 2007
08:30 		Minotaur II+ Vandenberg LF-06 TLV-7 Mission 2a sensor target for NFIRE satellite Suborbital Success

2008

Flight № Date / time (UTC) Rocket,
Configuration 		Launch site Payload Payload mass Orbit Customer Launch
outcome
8 September 24, 2008
06:57 		Minotaur II+ Vandenberg LF-06 TLV-8 Mission 2b sensor target for NFIRE satellite Suborbital Success

2009

Flight № Date / time (UTC) Rocket,
Configuration 		Launch site Payload Payload mass Orbit Customer Launch
outcome
8 February 24, 2009
09:55 		Taurus/Minotaur-C (Model 3110) VAFB SLC-576E Orbiting Carbon Observatory[8] Failure
8 May 19, 2009
23:55 		Minotaur I MARS LP-0B TacSat-3 / PharmaSat / AeroCube 3 / HawkSat I / CP6 LEO Success

2010

Flight № Date / time (UTC) Rocket,
Configuration 		Launch site Payload Payload mass Orbit Customer Launch
outcome
1 April 22, 2010
23:00 		Minotaur IV Lite Vandenberg SLC-8 HTV-2a hypersonic research spacecraft Suborbital Success
2 September 26, 2010
04:41 		Minotaur IV Vandenberg SLC-8 SBSS SSO Success
3 November 20, 2010
01:25 		Minotaur IV HAPS Kodiak LP-1 STP-S26 (FASTRAC-A / FASTRAC-B / FalconSat-5 / FASTSAT / O/OREOS / RAX) LEO Success

2011

Flight № Date / time (UTC) Rocket,
Configuration 		Launch site Payload Payload mass Orbit Customer Launch
outcome
9 February 6, 2011
12:26 		Minotaur I Vandenberg SLC-8 NROL-66 LEO Success
9 March 4, 2011
10:09 		Taurus/Minotaur-C (Model 3110) VAFB SLC-576E Glory, KySat-1, Hermes, and Explorer-1 [PRIME] Failure[9]
10 June 30, 2011
03:09 		Minotaur I MARS LP-0B ORS-1 LEO Success
4 August 11, 2011
14:45 		Minotaur IV Lite Vandenberg Air Force Base Falcon Hypersonic Technology Vehicle 2 (HTV-2b) Suborbital Success
5 September 27, 2011
15:49 		Minotaur IV+ Kodiak LP-1 TacSat-4 MEO Success

2013

Flight № Date / time (UTC) Rocket,
Configuration 		Launch site Payload Payload mass Orbit Customer Launch
outcome
1 September 7, 2013
03:27 		Minotaur V MARS LP-0B LADEE HEO Success
11 November 20, 2013
01:15 		Minotaur I MARS LP-0B ORS-3 (STPSat-3 along with 28 additional cubesats) LEO Success[10][11]

2017

Flight № Date / time (UTC) Rocket,
Configuration 		Launch site Payload Payload mass Orbit Customer Launch
outcome
6 August 26, 2017
06:04 		Minotaur IV Cape Canaveral Air Force Station , SLC-46 ORS-5 LEO Success
10 October 31, 2017
21:37 		Minotaur-C (Model 3210) VAFB SLC-576E SkySat × 6, Flock-3m × 4 Success

2020

Flight № Date / time (UTC) Rocket,
Configuration 		Launch site Payload Payload mass Orbit Customer Launch
outcome
7 July 15, 2020
13:46 		Minotaur IV MARS, LP-0B NROL-129 (USA 305 to USA 308)[12] LEO NRO Success

2021

Flight № Date / time (UTC) Rocket,
Configuration 		Launch site Payload Payload mass Orbit Customer Launch
outcome
12 June 15, 2021
13:35[13] 		Minotaur I MARS, LP-0B NROL-111 (USA 316 to USA 318)[14] LEO NRO Success

2022

Flight № Date / time (UTC) Rocket,
Configuration 		Launch site Payload Payload mass Orbit Customer Launch
outcome
9 July 7, 2022
06:01[15] 		Minotaur II+ VSFB, TP-01 Mk21A reentry vehicle[16] Suborbital AFNWC Failure

Planned launches

Date / time (UTC) Rocket,
Configuration 		Launch site Payload Orbit Customer
2023[17][18] Minotaur IV VSFB, SLC-8 NROL-174 LEO NRO
2023[17] TBD VSFB U.S. Space Force

References

  1. ↑ Stephen Clark, "Taurus rocket on the market with new name, upgrades", Spaceflight Now 24 February 2014
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Minotaur". Encyclopedia Astronautix. http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/minotaur.htm. 
  3. ↑ "Minotaur IV". Orbital Sciences Corporation. http://www.orbital.com/SpaceLaunch/Minotaur/IV/. 
  4. ↑ Culler, Jessica (16 June 2015). "LADEE - Lunar Atmosphere Dust and Environment Explorer". NASA. http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/ladee/main/index.html#.UhaLbJLryXs.  This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  5. ↑ "Orbital ATK". Orbital Sciences Corporation. http://www.orbital.com/NewsInfo/Publications/Minotaur6_Fact.pdf. 
  6. ↑ "DARPASAT". https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/darpasat.htm. 
  7. ↑ "Encyclopedia Astronautica: TAOS". Encyclopedia Astronautica. http://www.astronautix.com/s/step0taosp90-5.html. 
  8. ↑ "OCO". Orbital Sciences Corporation. http://www.orbital.com/SatellitesSpace/ScienceTechnology/OCO/. 
  9. ↑ "Taurus rocket nose shroud dooms another NASA satellite". Spaceflight Now, March 2011. http://www.spaceflightnow.com/taurus/glory/110304gloryfail/. 
  10. ↑ Powell, Rebecca (16 April 2015). "Air Force Minotaur Rocket Launching from Virginia November 19". http://www.nasa.gov/content/air-force-minotaur-rocket-launching-from-virginia-november-19/#.UqDMg_lJPDE. 
  11. ↑ "ORS-3 and STPSat-3 Successfully Launched". http://www.losangeles.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/734800/ors-3-and-stpsat-3-successfully-launched/. 
  12. ↑ Krebs, Gunter (25 August 2021). "USA 305, ..., 308 (NROL 129 PL1, ..., 4)". Gunter's Space Page. https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/usa-305.htm. 
  13. ↑ "Northrop Grumman Successfully Launches Minotaur I Rocket for the National Reconnaissance Office". Northrop Grumman. 15 June 2021. https://news.northropgrumman.com/news/releases/northrop-grumman-successfully-launches-minotaur-i-rocket-for-the-national-reconnaissance-office. 
  14. ↑ Krebs, Gunter (24 June 2021). "USA 316, 317, 318 (NROL 111)". Gunter's Space Page. https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/usa-316.htm. 
  15. ↑ Scully, Janene (7 July 2022). "Missile Test Ends in Explosion Seconds After Launch from Vandenberg SFB". Noozhawk. https://www.noozhawk.com/article/missile_test_ends_in_explosion_seconds_after_launch_from_vandenberg_sfb. 
  16. ↑ Martinez-Pogue, Jade (6 July 2022). "Test rocket launch scheduled from Vandenberg Space Force Base Thursday morning". KEYT-TV. https://keyt.com/news/santa-maria-north-county/2022/07/06/test-rocket-launch-scheduled-from-vandenberg-space-force-base-thursday-morning/. 
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Navin, Joseph (1 September 2021). "Northrop Grumman discusses Antares NG-16's eventful countdown, talks future missions". NASASpaceFlight. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/09/ng-16-update/. ""We're basically on contract for three Minotaur launches. One is a Minotaur IV, which looks like it's going to be launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in 2023, and that's for the Space Force," said Eberly. In total, there will be one Minotaur launch in 2022 and two launches in 2023. All three of these missions will launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California and will be flown for the U.S. Space Force." 
  18. ↑ Clark, Stephen (15 June 2021). "NRO satellites launched by Minotaur rocket with surplus missile parts". Spaceflight Now. https://spaceflightnow.com/2021/06/15/three-nro-satellites-launched-by-minotaur-rocket-with-surplus-missile-parts/. "[T]he Space Force and the NRO have purchased at least one more Minotaur flight to deliver another classified payload to orbit. That mission, known as NROL-174, will use a Minotaur 4 rocket, the larger Minotaur variant. It is scheduled for launch in 2023, Eberly said." 




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