Demonstration of a New Smallsat Launch Vehicle: The Orbital/Suborbital Program (OSP) Space Launch Vehicle Inaugural Mission Results

The United States Air Force and Orbital Sciences Corporation (Orbital) completed development and demonstration of a new low cost space launch vehicle for launching small satellites using surplus Minuteman II rocket motors melded with commercial launch vehicle technology. The Orbital Suborbital Program Space Launch Vehicle (OSPSLV, aka OSP Minotaur) successfully achieved all mission objectives with the inaugural launch into a 405 nm circular, 100 deg inclination orbit on 26 January, 2000. This launch achieved “firsts” in several areas including being the first space launch utilizing Minuteman boosters. It was also the first launch from the California Spaceport (Spaceport Systems International Commercial Launch Facility) at Vandenberg AFB. The OSP Minotaur accurately delivered a total of 11 satellites to orbit on its inaugural launch, involving complex maneuvering and multiple payload separations. Satellite sizes covered the range from minisatellite (JAWSAT Multiple Payload Adapter (MPA), 110 kg), microsatellite (USAFA’s FalconSat, 50 kg, and OPAL, 20kg), nanosatellite (Arizona State University’s ASUSat-1.5 kg), and picosatellites (ARPA/Aerospace, ARTEMIS, STENSAT, and MASAT, 0.5 kg each). ASUSat-1 was the first scientific nanosatellite and the picosats were the world’s first active “pico” satellites. Additionally, an Optical Calibration Sphere was placed into orbit for the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Starfire Optical Range. The mission also demonstrated the Soft Ride for Small Satellites (SRSS) full-spacecraft isolation system developed by AFRL and CSA Engineering. The OSP Minotaur is a four stage, ground launched solid propellant inertially guided spacelift vehicle. It is capable of putting up to 1400 lbm into LEO (100 nm, 28.5 deg) and over 700 lbm into a 400 nm, sunsynchronous orbit. The first two stages are from surplus Minuteman II ICBM’s (M-55 and SR-19). They are combined with the upper two stages (Orion 50XL and Orion 38), structure, and fairing from Orbital’s Pegasus XL air-launched space vehicle. However, new flight software, avionics, and telemetry components provide greater payload support capability relative to the Pegasus system.