Launch Vehicles

Falcon 9

Falcon 9 is a two-stage rocket designed and manufactured by SpaceX for the reliable and safe transport of satellites and the Dragon spacecraft into orbit.

Fairing

Made of a carbon composite material, the fairing protects satellites on their way to orbit. The fairing is jettisoned approximately three minutes into flight, and SpaceX continues to recover fairings for reuse on future missions.

First Stage

Falcon 9’s first stage incorporates nine Merlin engines and aluminum-lithium alloy tanks containing liquid oxygen and rocketgrade kerosene (RP-1) propellant, generating more than 1.7 million pounds of thrust at sea level. After separation, the fist stage will return to Landing Zone 4.

Interstage

The interstage is a composite structure that connects the first and second stages, and houses the pneumatic pushers that allow the first and second stage to separate during flight.

Grid fins: Falcon 9 is equipped with four hypersonic grid fins positioned at the base of the interstage. They orient the rocket during reentry by moving the center of pressure.

Second Stage

Powered by a single Merlin Vacuum Engine, the second stage delivers Falcon 9’s payload to the desired orbit. The engine ignites a few seconds after stage separation, and can be restarted several times to place multiple payloads into different orbits.

Minotaur IV

Minotaur IV has four stages; the first three stages utilize government-furnished solid rocket motors from decommissioned Peacekeeper ICBMs. The commercial solid rocket upper stage is an Orion 38. Minotaur IV is capable of launching payloads up to 1,730 kg (3,814 lb.) to low Earth orbit; Minotaur IV made its maiden flight on 22 April 2010.

Northrop Grumman

To date, Northrop Grumman Minotaur rockets have completed 26 missions out of every major U.S. spaceport with 100% success. Under the U.S. Air Force Orbital/ Suborbital Program-3 (OSP-3) contract, Northrop Grumman integrates, tests and provides space launch services for the Minotaur I, IV, V, VI and C family of rockets. The OSP-3 contract is managed by the Rocket Systems Launch Program, which is part of U.S. Space Force and Missile Systems Center (SMC). OSP-3 expands on OSP-2 by continuing to use excess ICBM motors, and includes potential Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle new entrant launch vehicles. The OSP-3 contract allows for an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity with a $900M ceiling based on a firm fixed price service contract strategy.

Electron

Electron is a two-stage rocket designed and manufactured by Rocket Lab for dedicated access to space of small satellites. The Electron has conducted nearly 40 launches, deploying more than 160 satellites into orbit.