Success
COSMIC 1-6
Earth Science
Orbital Sciences Corporation(OSC)Commercial
Minotaur I
LEOorbit
In early 2001, the National Space Program Office (NSPO) of Taiwan, Republic of China, selected Orbital for a $56 million contract for the ROCSAT-3/COSMIC (Republic of China Satellite / Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere and Climate) program. ROCSAT was renamed FORMOSAT in December 2004. The FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC program is an international collaboration between Taiwan and the United States that will use a constellation of six remote sensing microsatellites to collect atmospheric data for weather prediction and for ionosphere, climate and gravity research. Data from the satellites will be made freely available to the international scientific community in near real-time.
Saturday, April 15, 2006 at 1:40 AM
Mission details
Orbital Attempt
#4,763
OSC Mission
#50
Pad Launch
#5
Location Launch
#624
Designator
2006-011
Launch Window
NET
Apr 15, 2006, 1:40 AM
Schedule Changes
1 update
Space Launch Complex 8
Space Launch Complex 8 (SLC-8), is a launch pad at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, United States. It is used by Minotaur rockets. It was originally part of the California Spaceport, and was known as the Commercial Launch Facility (CLF) or Space Launch Facility (SLF).
Total Launches
10
Orbital Attempts
10
Fastest Turnaround
25d 21h
Minotaur I Specs
The Minotaur I launch system is derived from converted Minuteman II ICBMs and is used to launch small satellites for the US Government. The first and second stages, taken directly from decommissioned Minuteman missiles, are mated to the Orion third and fourth stages taken from the Pegasus XL air-launched rocket family. An optional hydrazine-powered fifth stage called HAPS can be used.The Minotaur I launch system is derived from converted Minuteman II ICBMs and is used to launch small satellites for the US Government. An optional hydrazine-powered fifth stage called HAPS can be used.
Length
19.21 m
Diameter
1.67 m
Launch Mass
36 t
Thrust
935 kN
LEO Capacity
580 kg
SSO Capacity
331 kg
Reusable
No
Maiden Flight
2000
Fastest Turnaround
4mo 8d
Total Launches
12
Successful
12
Failed
0
Consecutive Success
12
Maiden flight: Jan 27, 2000
Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
Vandenberg Space Force Base is a United States Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County, California. Established in 1941, Vandenberg Space Force Base is a space launch base, launching spacecraft from the Western Range, and also performs missile testing. The United States Space Force's Space Launch Delta 30 serves as the host delta for the base, equivalent to an Air Force air base wing. In addition to its military space launch mission, Vandenberg Space Force Base also hosts space launches for civil and commercial space entities, such as NASA and SpaceX.
Timezone
America/Los_Angeles
Local Launch Time
Apr 14, 2006, 6:40 PM
Total Launches
885
Total Landings
34
Coordinates
34.7513, -120.5202