M55E1

Expand|date=November 2007

M55E1 is the designation of a United States solid fuel rocket that is used as the first stage of several expendable launch systems.

Uses

The M55E1 is used in the following systems:
* Minuteman III
* Minotaur

Earlier versions of the Minuteman used the M55A1 for the first stage. [http://www.geocities.com/launchreport/mmsum.txt]

Key Facts

* Manufacturer: Thiokol
* First Launch: March 14, 1970
* Liftoff Thrust: 935,000 kN (210,196 lbf)
* Total Weight: 30,000 kg (66,000 lb)
* Diameter: 1.68 m (5.51 ft)
* Length: 16.0 m (52.00 ft) [http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/m55e1.htm]

References