Orbital Sciences Corp./U.S.A.F.

ARPA-Taurus

Taurus-G

Taurus-XL

Overall
Vehicle
Operational from 13.03.1994 10.02.98 20.05.2004
  to     04.03.2011
Orbital flights   3 3 3
Payload weight t LPEO 1.160 LPEO 1.420 LPEO 1.565
Gross liftoff weight t 69.00 72.75 76.95
Gross propellant weight t 61.77 64.98 68.74
Total length m 28.18 29.07 31.88
Max. diameter (span) m 2.36  2.36  2.36
Total liftoff thrust (s.l.) kN  1,286.4  1,483.7 1,483.7
Total impulse (vac) MN*s 160.3  180.1 192.1

Fairing

Total length m 5.18 5.18 / 7.01 5.18 / 7.01
Diameter m 1.60 1.60 / 2.30 1.60 / 2.30
Total weight t  0.360  0.360 / 0.400  0.360 / 0.400

Stage 4

Name  

Orion 38

Orion 38 Orion 38
  Length m 1.34 1.34 1.34
Diameter m  0.96 0.96 0.96
Liftoff weight t 0.875 0.875 0.875
Propellant weight t 0.770 0.770 0.770
Engines   ATK ATK ATK
Propellant    solid HTPB  solid HTPB  solid HTPB
Total thrust (vac) kN 31.6 31.6 31.7
Specific impulse (vac) N*s/kg 2812 2812 2816
Burn time s  68.5  68.5  68.5
Total impulse (vac) MN*s  2.17  2.17  2.17
Stage 3

Name

  Orion 50 Orion 50 Orion 50-XL
  Length m 3.60 (2.44) 3.60 (2.44) 4.02  (2.86)
Diameter m 1.27 1.27 1.27
Liftoff weight t 3.379 3.379  4.331
Propellant weight t 3.024 3.024 3.926
Engines   ATK ATK ATK
Propellant  

 solid HTPB

 solid HTPB

 solid HTPB

Total thrust (vac) kN 114.8 114.8 160.6
Specific impulse (vac) N*s/kg 2846 2846 2838
Burn time s  75.1  75.1  69.4
Total impulse (vac) MN*s  8.6  8.6  11.1

Stage 2

Name   Orion 50S Orion 50S-G Orion 50S-XL
  Length m 8.40 (8.60) 8.40 (8.60) 8.96 (9.16)
Diameter m 1.27 1.27 1.27
Liftoff weight t 13.242 13.242 16.356
Propellant weight t 12.147 12.147 15.016
Engines   ATK ATK ATK
Propellant  

 solid HTPB

 solid HTPB

 solid HTPB

Total thrust (vac) kN 469.1 469.1 633.2
Specific impulse (vac) N*s/kg 2795 2795 2893
Burn time s 72.4 72.4 68.6
Total impulse (vac) MN*s  34.0  34.0 43.4

Stage 1

Name   Peacekeeper Castor 120 Castor 120
  Length m 11.00 (8.13) 11.89 (9.02)  11.89 (9.02)
Diameter m 2.34 2.36 2.36
Liftoff weight t 50.000 53.424 53.424
Propellant weight t 45.820 49.024 49.024
Engines   TU-903 Thiokol Thiokol
Propellant   solid HTPB solid HTPB solid HTPB
Total thrust (s.l.) kN 1,286.4 1,483.7 1,483.7
Specific impulse (s.l.) Ns/kg 2246  2481  2481
Burning time s 80 82 82
Total impulse (vac) MN*s 115.5 135.3 135.3