ORBITAL SET TO LAUNCH FIRST MINOTAUR IV ROCKET FOR U.S. AIR FORCE THIS WEEK
-- Suborbital Launch of Peacekeeper-Based Rocket to Support DARPA's HTV-2
Hypersonic Research Mission --
(Dulles, VA 19 April 2010) -- Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE: ORB), one
of the world's leading space technology companies, today announced that it
is prepared to launch the first of its Minotaur IV rockets in support of
the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's (DARPA) Hypersonic
Technology Vehicle-2 (HTV-2) program. The Minotaur IV launch vehicle is
based on decommissioned Peacekeeper rocket motors that Orbital integrates
and upgrades with modern avionics and other subsystems to produce a
cost-effective booster based on flight-proven hardware. Subject to final
preparations and favorable weather conditions, the mission will originate
from Space Launch Complex-8 at Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA, with its
first available launch window from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. (PST) tomorrow,
April 20, 2010.
For the HTV-2 mission, Orbital will fly a three-stage Minotaur IV "Lite"
version of the rocket to carry out the suborbital flight trajectory. The
Minotaur IV will propel the HTV-2 air vehicle into the upper atmosphere,
where it will be released. The HTV-2 will then descend at hypersonic speed
into the Pacific Ocean near Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands.
The Minotaur IV rocket is the newest in the Minotaur family of launchers
that Orbital produces for the U.S. Air Force under the Orbital/Suborbital
Program-2 contract. The first orbital mission of the Minotaur IV will take
place later this year when it launches the Air Force's Space Base Space
Surveillance (SBSS) satellite.
"The first flight of the Minotaur IV rocket ushers in an all-new capability
for the Air Force and other U.S. Government customers at a time when
reliable, cost-effective missions are at a premium," said Mr. Ron Grabe,
Orbital's Executive Vice President and General Manager of its Launch
Systems Group. "Building on the outstanding record of the 16 previous
flights of the Minotaur family, all of which have been successful, we are
excited to begin flying the Minotaur IV rocket for our Air Force customer."
The debut of Minotaur IV begins a series of launch vehicle system
introductions that will highlight Orbital's position as the most active
current developer of new rocket systems in the world. Beginning with
Minotaur IV, Orbital is scheduled to complete the development and carry out
the first flights of five new space and strategic launch systems in the
next two and a half years.
The four other launch vehicles are the Launch Abort System for NASA's Orion
program, the two-stage interceptor booster for the Missile Defense Agency's
Ground-based Midcourse Defense system, the Taurus II medium-class space
launch vehicle for NASA and other customers, and the Air Force's Minotaur V
rocket that is scheduled to launch NASA's LADEE lunar mission in 2012.
Mr. Grabe also stated, "With the introduction of several new space launch
vehicles in the next couple of years, combined with our heritage Pegasus,
Taurus and Minotaur vehicles, Orbital will offer its defense and
intelligence, civil government and commercial satellite customers the
world's most complete and proven line of launchers for small- and
medium-class satellites weighing up to 12,000 lbs."
About the HTV-2 Mission
DARPA's HTV-2 program objective is to create new technological options that
enable capabilities that urgently address threats to U.S. national
security. The program is developing and testing an unmanned,
rocket-launched, maneuverable, hypersonic air vehicle that glides through
the Earth's atmosphere, at speeds of Mach 20 and above. The key technical
challenges of the HTV-2 program are the design of an innovative high
lift-to-drag aerodynamic shape, advanced lightweight but tough thermal
protection structures, materials and fabrication technologies, autonomous
hypersonic navigation guidance and control systems, and an autonomous
flight safety system.
About Minotaur IV
The Minotaur IV space launch vehicle leverages the flight-proven heritage
of Orbital's Minotaur I, Pegasus and Taurus space launch vehicles to
provide a reliable, capable and cost-effective space launcher. Minotaur IV
utilizes three government-furnished solid rocket motors from decommissioned
Peacekeeper ICBMs and a commercial solid rocket upper stage. Minotaur IV
builds on a long heritage of launch systems with over 50 flights of each
core stage and is capable of launching payloads up to 3,800 lbs. (1,730
kgs.) to low Earth orbit.
About Orbital
Orbital develops and manufactures small- and medium-class rockets and space
systems for commercial, military and civil government customers. The
company's primary products are satellites and launch vehicles, including
low-Earth orbit, geosynchronous-Earth orbit and planetary exploration
spacecraft for communications, remote sensing, scientific and defense
missions; human-rated space systems for Earth-orbit, lunar and other
missions; ground- and air-launched rockets that deliver satellites into
orbit; and missile defense systems that are used as interceptor and target
vehicles. Orbital also provides satellite subsystems and space-related
technical services to U.S. Government agencies and laboratories. More
information about Orbital can be found at
http://www.orbital.com# # #
Note to Editors: High-resolution images of the Minotaur IV rocker can be
found at:
http://www.orbital.com/NewsInfo/ImagesMultimedia/Images/SpaceLaunch/index.shtml