Minotaur II rockets consist of the M55A1 first stage and SR19AJ1 second stage of a decommissioned Minuteman missile. The third stage varies depending on the configuration required for the payload: a Minuteman II M57A1 stage is used on the baseline configuration, whilst the Minotaur II+ uses an SR-73-AJ. The Minotaur II Lite is a two-stage configuration, without a third stage. A heavy configuration is also available, with an Orion 50XL third stage, as used on the Minotaur I. The baseline configuration can propel a 400 kilograms (880 lb) payload 4,000 kilometres (2,500 mi) downrange, whilst the heavy configuration can place 1,400 kilograms (3,100 lb) onto an 8,000-kilometre (5,000 mi) trajectory.

Minotaur II
Minotaur II launch from Vandenberg
FunctionSuborbital launch system
ManufacturerOrbital Sciences (original);
Northrop Grumman (current)
Country of origin United States
Size
Height19.21 metres (63.0 ft)
Diameter1.67 metres (5 ft 6 in)
Mass36,200 kilograms (79,800 lb)
Stages2 or 3
Capacity
Payload to 8000km S/O
Mass400 kilograms (880 lb)
Launch history
StatusActive
Launch sitesVandenberg LF-06
Vandenberg TP-01
Total launches9
Success(es)8
First flight28 May 2000
Last flight7 July 2022
First stage – M55E1
Powered by1 Solid
Maximum thrust935 kilonewtons (210,000 lbf)
PropellantSolid
Second stage – SR19AJ1
Powered by1 Solid
Maximum thrust268 kilonewtons (60,000 lbf)
PropellantSolid
Third stage (Baseline) – M57A1
Powered by1 Solid
PropellantSolid
Third stage (Minotaur II+) – SR-73-AJ
Powered by1 Solid
PropellantSolid
Third stage (Heavy) – Orion 50XL
Powered by1 Solid
Maximum thrust118.2 kilonewtons (26,600 lbf)
Burn time74 seconds
PropellantSolid

Nine Minotaur II rockets have been launched as of July 2022, with six flights using the baseline configuration and three using the Minotaur II+ configuration. Launches are conducted from Launch Facility 06 (LF-06) and Test Pad 01 (TP-01).

Launch history

edit
Flight No. Date (UTC) Rocket Payload Launch pad Trajectory Result
1 May 28, 2000

20:00

Minotaur II OSP-TLV Missile Defense Technology Demonstrator Vandenberg LF-06 Suborbital Success
2 December 12, 2001 Minotaur II IFT-7 target mission Vandenberg LF-06 Suborbital Success
3 March 16, 2002

02:11

Minotaur II TLV-1 IFT-8 GMDS target mission Vandenberg LF-06 Suborbital Success
4 October 15, 2002

02:01

Minotaur II TLV-3 GMDS target mission Vandenberg LF-06 Suborbital Success
5 December 11, 2002

08:26

Minotaur II TLV-4 GMDS target mission Vandenberg LF-06 Suborbital Success
6 March 20, 2007

04:27

Minotaur II TLV-5 FTX-02 SBR target mission Vandenberg LF-06 Suborbital Success
7 August 23, 2007

08:30

Minotaur II+ TLV-7 Mission 2a sensor target for NFIRE satellite Vandenberg LF-06 Suborbital Success
8 September 24, 2008

06:57

Minotaur II+ TLV-8 Mission 2b sensor target for NFIRE satellite Vandenberg LF-06 Suborbital Success
9 July 7, 2022

06:01[1]

Minotaur II+ Mk21A reentry vehicle test[2][a] Vandenberg TP-01 Suborbital Failure

Notes

edit
  1. ^ Reentry vehicle demonstration for the future LGM-35A Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile. Rocket exploded 11 seconds after launch.

References

edit
  • Krebs, Gunter. "Minotaur-2 (OSP-SLV)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2009-04-30.
  • Krebs, Gunter. "Minuteman Target Launch Vehicles". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2009-04-28.
  1. ^ Scully, Janene (7 July 2022). "Missile Test Ends in Explosion Seconds After Launch from Vandenberg SFB". Noozhawk. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  2. ^ Martinez-Pogue, Jade (6 July 2022). "Test rocket launch scheduled from Vandenberg Space Force Base Thursday morning". KEYT-TV. Retrieved 6 July 2022.