Orbital Sciences Corporation

Overview

Orbital Launch Vehicle

Orbital's space launch vehicles are the industry standard for boosting small payloads to orbit. Our innovative Pegasus® rocket is launched from the company's "Stargazer" L-1011 carrier aircraft and has proven to be the industry's small space launch workhorse, having conducted 41 missions from six different launch sites worldwide since 1990.

Our Taurus® and Minotaur ground-launched rockets combine Pegasus upper stages with either government-supplied or commercially available first-stage rocket motors to boost larger payloads to orbit. Minotaur IV combines decommissioned Peacekeeper rocket motors with proven Orbital avionics and fairings to provide increased lifting capacity for government-sponsored payloads.

With the development of the Antares space launch vehicle, Orbital is extending its capabilities to provide low-cost access to space for medium-class payloads. The inaugural launch of Antares occurred on April 21, 2013 from Wallops Island, Virginia.

Quick Facts
Orbital has conducted 64 space launch missions since 1990

Combined, our space launch vehicles have launched over 123 satellites into orbit in the last 21 years

AS9100 and ISO 9001 Registered

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