Minotaur IV

Minotaur IV

Launch of the first Minotaur IV Lite
Function	Expendable launch system
Manufacturer	Orbital Sciences
Cost per launch (2011)	$50 million[1]
Size
Height	23.88 metres (78.3 ft)
Diameter	2.34 metres (7 ft 8 in)
Mass	86,300 kg
Stages	4
Capacity
Payload to LEO	1735 kg (28.5 deg, 185 km)
Associated rockets
Family	Minotaur
Derivatives	Minotaur V
Launch history
Status	Active
Launch sites	SLC-8, Vandenberg AFB LP-0B, MARS LP-1, Kodiak
Total launches	4
Successes	4
Maiden flight	22 April 2010
First Stage - SR-118
Engines	1 Solid
Thrust	2,200 kilonewtons (490,000 lbf)
Fuel	Solid
Second Stage - SR-119
Engines	1 Solid
Thrust	1,365 kilonewtons (307,000 lbf)
Burn time	54 seconds
Fuel	Solid
Third Stage - SR-120
Engines	1 Solid
Thrust	329 kilonewtons (74,000 lbf)
Burn time	62 seconds
Fuel	Solid
Fourth Stage (Baseline) - Orion-38
Engines	1 Solid
Thrust	32.2 kilonewtons (7,200 lbf)
Burn time	67.7 seconds
Fuel	Solid
Fourth Stage (Optional) - Star-48V
Engines	1 Solid
Thrust	68.6 kilonewtons (15,400 lbf)
Burn time	84.1 seconds
Fuel	Solid

Minotaur IV, also known as Peacekeeper SLV and OSP-2 PK is an active expendable launch system derived from the Peacekeeper missile. It is operated by Orbital Sciences Corporation, and made its maiden flight on 22 April 2010, carrying the HTV-2a Hypersonic Test Vehicle.^[2][3][4] The first orbital launch, occurred on 26 September 2010 with the SBSS satellite for the United States Air Force.

The Minotaur IV vehicle consists of four stages and is capable of placing 1,735 kilograms (3,830 lb) of payload into a Low Earth orbit (LEO).^[5][6] It uses the first three stages of the Peacekeeper missile, combined with a new upper stage. On the baseline version, the fourth stage is an Orion-38. However a higher performance variant, designated Minotaur IV+, uses a Star-48V instead. A three stage configuration (no Orion-38), designated the Minotaur IV Lite, is available for Suborbital trajectories. A five stage derivative, the Minotaur V, is also under development.

Minotaur IV launches will be conducted from SLC-8 at Vandenberg Air Force Base, LP-0B at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, and Pad 1 of the Kodiak Launch Complex.

Launches

Date/Time (UTC)	Variant	Launch Site	Payload	Trajectory	Outcome	Remarks
22 April 2010 23:00	Minotaur IV Lite	Vandenberg SLC-8	HTV-2a	Suborbital	Successful	Successful launch, but payload failed
26 September 2010[7] 04:41	Minotaur IV	Vandenberg SLC-8	SBSS	SSO	Successful
19 Nov 2010[7]	Minotaur IV HAPS	Kodiak LP-1	STPSat-2 FASTRAC-A FASTRAC-B FalconSat-5 FASTSAT O/OREOS RAX NanoSail-D2	LEO	Successful	STP-S26 launch. Included a Hydrazine Auxiliary Propulsion System (HAPS) to take the vehicle to a secondary orbit after placing payloads into the primary orbit
11 Aug 2011[8]	Minotaur IV Lite	Vandenberg SLC-8	HTV-2b	Suborbital	Successful	Successful launch, but payload failed
27 September 2011	Minotaur IV+	Kodiak LP-1	TacSat-4	LEO	Successful	First Minotaur IV+ launch
Scheduled Launches
4th Q 2012	Minotaur IV	Vandenberg SLC-8	TacSat-5	LEO		Might launch on a Minotaur I
1st Q 2013	Minotaur IV Lite	Vandenberg SLC-8	CSM[disambiguation needed ]	Suborbital

References

1. ^ Stephen Clark (November 18 2010). "Minotaur rocket poised to send research to new heights". Spaceflight Now. http://spaceflightnow.com/minotaur/stps26/101118preview/. 
2. ^ "Orbital Successfully Launches First Minotaur IV Rocket for U.S. Air Force" (Press release). Orbital Sciences Corporation. April 27, 2010. http://www.orbital.com/NewsInfo/release.asp?prid=732. 
3. ^ "Air Force Space Officials Prepare To Launch First Minotaur IV". Air Force News Service. April 16, 2010. http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123200332. 
4. ^ Graham, William (April 22, 2010). "First Minotaur IV launches with Hypersonic Test Vehicle". NASAspaceflight.com. http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2010/04/first-minotaur-iv-launch-with-hypersonic-test-vehicle/. 
5. ^ "Minotaur IV Fact Sheet" (PDF). Orbital Sciences Corporation. 2010. http://www.orbital.com/NewsInfo/Publications/Minotaur_IV_Fact.pdf. Retrieved 2009-03-04. 
6. ^ Krebs, Gunter. "Minotaur-3/-4/-5 (OSP-2 Peacekeeper SLV)". Gunter's Space Page. http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau/minotaur-4.htm. Retrieved 2009-03-04. 
7. ^ ^{a b} Schaub, Michael B.; Schwartz, Patrick C.. "Launches". Mission Set Database. NASA/Honeywell-TSI. http://msdb.gsfc.nasa.gov/launches.php. Retrieved 23 April 2010. 
8. ^ Hope, Dan. "DARPA Readies Hypersonic Aircraft for Mach 20 Launch Test". http://www.space.com/12601-darpa-falcon-hypersonic-aircraft-launch-test-htv-2.html. Retrieved 10 Aug 2011.