MM-Minotaur - I

Orbital Sciences Corporation

The Minotaur - I is a small ground-launched, solid-propellant, and inertally guidespace launch vehicle composed of components from the Minuteman II ICBM and Pegasus XL space launch vehicle. It is being developed as part of the US Air Force Orbital/Suborbital Program (OSP). Prime contractor is Orbital Sciences Corporation.
The major elements of the vehicle are the M-55A1 motor and SR-19-AJ-1 motor (Minuteman II/III), Orion 50XL and Orion 38 (Pegasus). The Minotaur first stage utilizes the existing Minuteman II and III thrust-vector control (TVC) system, which uses four nozzles to achieve three-axis control. Control during the second stage SR-19 motor burn is provided by LITVC with warm gas for roll control.
The Minotaur launch vehicle will be capable of placing a 0.336 tons payload into a 740 km circular, sun-synchronous orbit or a 0.639 tons payload  into a 185 km circular orbit. The available payload envelope using the baseline Pegasus fairing is 1.17 m in diameter for the first 1.22 m above the payload interface plane tapering to 0.76 m in diameter  at the maximum length of 2.24 m.

In addition to the Minotaur I space booster, Orbital's Minotaur product line also includes

• Minotaur-II - A Minuteman-based three-stage suborbital rocket, used as a target vehicle for testing U.S. missile defense systems and related missions.
• Minotaur-III - A Peacekeeper-based three-stage suborbital rocket, also used as a target vehicle for testing U.S. missile defense systems and similar missions.
• Minotaur-IV - A heavier-lift Peacekeeper-based four-stage space launch vehicle, used to place U.S. Government-sponsored satellites weighing up to 3,800 lbs into low-altitude orbit. Orbital was recently awarded its first Minotaur IV contract by the U.S. Air Force to launch the Space-Based Surveillance System (SBSS) satellite.
• Minotaur-V - An enhanced-performance version of the Minotaur-IV space launch vehicle that may be used to launch government satellites into higher-energy orbits for missions related to space exploration and other activities beyond low-Earth orbit.