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Minotaur IV

Stage · USA

Original archive entry. The text, images and links below are kept as they were written.

Orbital launch vehicle using surplus Peacekeeper rocket stages: an SR-118 first stage, SR-119 second stage, SR-120 third stage, new Orion 38 fourth stage and optional HAPS fifth stage. Payload 1720 kg to an 185 km, 28.5 degree orbit from Cape Canaveral; 1000 kg to a 740 km sun-synchronous orbit from Vandenberg.

More at: Minotaur IV.

Country
USA
Engines
Fastrac

Chronology

3 events

2010 September 30

Launch Site: Vandenberg. LV Family: Peacekeeper. Launch Vehicle: Minotaur IV.
  • USA 216 - . Payload: SBSS. Mass: 1,031 kg (2,272 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Manufacturer: Ball. Class: Surveillance. Type: Orbital object tracking satellite. Spacecraft: BCP-2000. USAF Sat Cat: 37168 . COSPAR: 2010-048A. Apogee: 633 km (393 mi). Perigee: 632 km (392 mi). Inclination: 98.00 deg. Period: 97.40 min. First Space-Based Surveillance Satellite; designed to track satellites and orbital junk from a space-based vantage point..

2010 November 20

01:25 GMT - . Launch Site: Kodiak. LV Family: Peacekeeper. Launch Vehicle: Minotaur IV.
  • USA 217 - . Payload: STPSat-2 SIV. Mass: 135 kg (297 lb). Nation: USA. Manufacturer: AeroAstro. Class: Technology. Type: Technology satellite. Spacecraft: Astro-200. USAF Sat Cat: 37222 . COSPAR: 2010-062A. Technology experiments. Lead satellite of USAF Space Test Program mission S26..
  • USA 218 - . Payload: RAX. Mass: 3.00 kg (6.60 lb). Nation: USA. Class: Earth. Type: Magnetosphere satellite. Spacecraft: Cubesat. USAF Sat Cat: 37223 . COSPAR: 2010-062B. Radio Aurora Explorer, a National Science Foundation 3U cubesat, built by the University of Michigan, to study the aurora by picking up ground-based radar signals..
  • USA 219 - . Payload: O/OREOS. Mass: 5.00 kg (11.00 lb). Nation: USA. Class: Biology. Type: Biology satellite. Spacecraft: Cubesat. USAF Sat Cat: 37224 . COSPAR: 2010-062C. 3U cubesat by NASA-Ames with life science experiments to study microbes in free fall and the effects of ultraviolet light on organic materials..
  • USA 220 - . Payload: Fastsat-HSV. Mass: 140 kg (300 lb). Nation: USA. Class: Technology. Type: Technology satellite. Spacecraft: Fastsat. USAF Sat Cat: 37225 . COSPAR: 2010-062D. Developed by NASA-Marshall and subcontractors in Huntsville; carried ionospheric and atmospheric experiments, a USAF experiment, and the Nanosail-D2 solar sail..
  • USA 221 - . Payload: Falconsat-5. Mass: 161 kg (354 lb). Nation: USA. Class: Technology. Type: Technology satellite. Spacecraft: Falconsat. USAF Sat Cat: 37226 . COSPAR: 2010-062E. US Air Force Academy satellite with experiments to study plasma and the ionosphere..
  • USA 222 - . Payload: Fastrac 1. Mass: 30 kg (66 lb). Nation: USA. Class: Technology. Type: Technology satellite. Spacecraft Bus: Fastrac. Spacecraft: Fastrac satellite. USAF Sat Cat: 37227 . COSPAR: 2010-062F. Developed by University of Texas at Austin with USAF funding for formation flying experiments..
  • Ballast A - . Payload: S26 Ballast A. Nation: USA. Class: Technology. Type: Technology satellite. USAF Sat Cat: 37230 . COSPAR: 2010-062J.
  • USA 228 - . Payload: Fastrac 2. Mass: 30 kg (66 lb). Nation: USA. Class: Technology. Type: Technology satellite. Spacecraft Bus: Fastrac. Spacecraft: Fastrac satellite. USAF Sat Cat: 37380 . COSPAR: 2010-062M. Developed by University of Texas at Austin with USAF funding for formation flying experiments..
  • Ballast B - . Payload: S26 Ballast B. Nation: USA. Class: Technology. Type: Technology satellite. USAF Sat Cat: 37231 . COSPAR: 2010-062K.
  • Nanosail-D - . Mass: 4.00 kg (8.80 lb). Nation: USA. Class: Technology. Type: Technology satellite. Spacecraft: Cubesat. USAF Sat Cat: 37361 . COSPAR: 2010-062L. 3U cubesat for NASA with 3-m span solar sail; ejected from USA 220 on 18 January 2011 unexpectedly after earlier ejection efforts failed..

2017 August 26

06:03 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral SLC46. LV Family: Peacekeeper. Launch Vehicle: Minotaur IV.
  • DHFR - . Payload: DARPA High Freq. Receiver. Nation: USA. USAF Sat Cat: 42922 . COSPAR: 2017-050B. Apogee: 576 km (357 mi). Perigee: 384 km (238 mi). Inclination: 24.52 deg. Period: 94.20 min. See DHFR. ..
  • Prometheus 2.2 - . Nation: USA. USAF Sat Cat: 42923 . COSPAR: 2017-050C. Apogee: 389 km (241 mi). Perigee: 314 km (195 mi). Inclination: 24.64 deg. Period: 91.57 min. See Prometheus 2.2 ?. ..
  • Prometheus 2.4 - . Nation: USA. USAF Sat Cat: 42924 . COSPAR: 2017-050D. Apogee: 280 km (170 mi). Perigee: 245 km (152 mi). Inclination: 24.70 deg. Period: 89.75 min. See Prometheus 2.4 ?. ..