Orbital Sciences / USAF / NASA / Minotaur 5

• Orbital Sciences / USAF / NASA / Minotaur 5 by Freddie on 14 Sep, 2009 21:06
• http://www.marketwatch.com/story/orbital-awarded-new-minotaur-v-mission-by-us-air-force-and-nasa-2009-09-14
  
  Sept. 14, 2009, 8:00 a.m. EDT
  
  Orbital Awarded New Minotaur V Mission by U.S. Air Force and NASA
  -- Rocket to Launch NASA's Lunar Spacecraft From Wallops Island in 2012 --
  -- New Order Represents the 28th Minotaur Rocket Ordered Since 1997 --
  
• #1 by Robotbeat on 14 Sep, 2009 22:31
• Five stages? Are there any other launch vehicles using that many?
• #2 by Jim on 14 Sep, 2009 22:38
• Quote from: Robotbeat on 14 Sep, 2009 22:31

  Five stages? Are there any other launch vehicles using that many?
  

  
  Titan IV with an IUS. 
• #3 by Blackstar on 14 Sep, 2009 23:19
• There's a story behind this.  I don't know the details, but I believe that LADEE was originally supposed to launch with GRAIL.  It's worth looking into why LADEE ended up with its own launch vehicle, at a cost of probably $25 million plus.