Minotaur C
Production and Launch Operations
Production
Orbital Sciences Corporation is the primary contractor for the Taurus launch vehicle.
Taurus Subcontractors | Responsibility |
ATK Thiokol | Stage 1–3 rocket motors, Castor 120 Stage 0 motor |
Vermont Composites | 63-in. fairing, boattail, avionics skirt, and payload cone |
R-Cubed | 92-in. fairing |
Remmele | Stage 0–1 Interstage |
Parker | Stage 2 and 3 TVC |
AlliedSignal | Stage 0 and 1 TVC |
Litton | IMU |
SBS Embedded Computers | flight computer |
Launch Operations
The Taurus system has been designed to minimize vehicle and payload handling complexity and launch base operations time. Ground and launch operations are conducted by Orbital in three major phases: 1) launch vehicle integration, 2) payload processing, and 3) launch operations.
During the launch vehicle integration phase, all Taurus vehicle motors, parts, and completed subassemblies are delivered to the missile assembly building (MAB) on North VAFB from either the assembly vendor or Orbital’s Chandler, Arizona, production facility. The transformation of solid rocket motors, avionics, and subassembly structures into an integrated and tested launch vehicle occurs at the MAB. Following the final MAB system test, the vehicle consists of five major assemblies: the Stage 0 motor assembly, the Stage 0–1 interstage, the integrated upper stages, the payload fairing, and the payload cone. At this point, the fairing and payload cone assemblies are released and prepared for shipment to the payload processing facility (PPF) for payload encapsulation operations. The Stage 0 motor, the Stage 0–1 interstage, and the upper-stage assembly are prepared for shipment to the launch site.
Payload processing is conducted independently of Taurus vehicle processing, allowing the payload to determine and control the length of time required for checkout within the PPF. Once the payload has completed its own independent verification and checkout, Orbital delivers the fairing and payload cone assemblies to the PPF. The nominal integrated operations include mating the payload to the Taurus payload cone, performing interface verification tests, and encapsulating the payload within the Taurus fairing. Orbital personnel then transport the encapsulated payload to the launch site.
Launch operations consist of installation and verification of the launch support equipment, facilities, and utilities; delivery of the Taurus launch vehicle components to the launch site for final integration and test; transportation of the encapsulated payload to the launch site for testing and integration with the Taurus vehicle; final system testing and vehicle mate; and vehicle arming and launch.
Launch Facilities
Vandenberg AFB Launch Facilities
Flight Sequence
Taurus Mission Profile