The
Taurus rocket offers an affordable, reliable means of launching small satellites
into low-Earth orbit. Developed under the sponsorship of the Defense Advanced
Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Taurus was designed for easy transportability
and rapid set-up and launch. Since its debut flight in 1994, Taurus has conducted six of nine successful missions launching 13 satellites for commercial, civil, military, and international customers.
Taurus is a ground-based variant of our air-launched Pegasus rocket. The four-stage,
inertially guided, all solid propellant vehicle can deploy 1,350-kilogram (3,000-pound)
satellites into low-Earth orbit. Two fairing sizes offer flexibility in designing
a particular mission, and with the addition of a structural adapter, either
can accommodate multiple payloads, resulting in lower launch costs for smaller
satellites "sharing" a mission.
A cornerstone of the Taurus program is a simplified integration and test capability
that includes horizontal integration of the rocket's upper stages and offline
encapsulation of the payload within the fairing. The upper stages and the encapsulated
cargo are delivered to the launch site, where they are mated. The whole assembly
is then stacked on the first stage using a mobile crane.
The Taurus launch system includes a complete set of ground support equipment
to ensure the ability to operate from austere sites. Thus far, Taurus has launched
from the U.S. Government's Western range at Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB)
in California. Taurus is also approved for launch from Cape Canaveral Air Station
(CCAS) in Florida, Wallops Flight Facility (WFF) in Virginia, and Kodiak Launch
Complex, Alaska.
Quick Facts Six for nine mission success rate to date
Rocket incorporates advanced structural and avionics technology proven
on Pegasus and other operational launch systems
