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Minotaur III
| Function | Heavy suborbital launch system |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Orbital Sciences |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Size | |
| Stages | Four |
| Capacity | |
| Payload to 5000km S/O | |
| Mass | 3,000 kilograms (6,600 lb) |
| Launch history | |
| Status | Canceled |
| Launch sites | Vandenberg SFB, SLC-8 PSCA, LP-1 |
| Total launches | 0 |
| First stage – SR-118 | |
| Powered by | 1 Solid |
| Maximum thrust | 2,224 kilonewtons (500,000 lbf)[1] |
| Specific impulse | 229 s (2.25 km/s) (sea level)[2] |
| Burn time | 56.6 seconds |
| Propellant | HTPB |
| Second stage – SR-119 | |
| Powered by | 1 Solid |
| Maximum thrust | 1,223 kilonewtons (275,000 lbf)[1] |
| Specific impulse | 308 s (3.02 km/s)[2] |
| Burn time | 61 seconds |
| Propellant | HTPB |
| Third stage – SR-120 | |
| Powered by | 1 Solid |
| Maximum thrust | 289 kilonewtons (65,000 lbf)[1] |
| Specific impulse | 300 s (2.9 km/s)[2] |
| Burn time | 72 seconds |
| Propellant | NEPE |
| Fourth stage – Super-HAPS | |
| Powered by | 12 MR-107K |
| Propellant | Hydrazine |
The Minotaur III, also known as OSP-2 Target Launch Vehicle, Peacekeeper TLV, or OSP-2 TLV was an American rocket concept derived from the LGM-118 Peacekeeper missile. It was a member of the Minotaur family of rockets produced by Orbital Sciences Corporation (now part of Northrop Grumman) and would have been used for long-range suborbital launches with heavy payloads.[3] The Minotaur III was to be capable of launching 3,000 kilograms (6,600 lb) of payload 5,000 kilometres (3,100 mi) downrange.[4] This role has been taken over by the near-identical Minotaur IV Lite and the lighter-lift Minotaur II.
Minotaur III launches would have been conducted from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California and the Kodiak Launch Complex in Alaska.
- ^ a b c Northrop Grumman (2020-09-10). "Minotaur IV, V, VI User's Guide" (PDF). northropgrumman.com. Retrieved 2024-05-14.
- ^ a b c Blau, Patrick (2017-02-02). "Minotaur V Launch Vehicle" (PDF). spaceflight101.com. Retrieved 2024-05-15.
- ^ Krebs, Gunter. "Minotaur-3 (OSP-2 Peacekeepr TLV)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2009-05-06.
- ^ Krebs, Gunter. "Minotaur-3/-4/-5 (OSP-2 Peacekeeper SLV)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2009-05-06.
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