Northrop Grumman Pegasus
Pegasus is an air-launched launch vehicle developed by Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC) and now built and launched by Northrop Grumman. Pegasus is the world's first privately developed orbital launch vehicle. Capable of carrying small payloads of up to 443 kg (977 lb) into low Earth orbit, Pegasus first flew in 1990 and remains active as of 2021. The vehicle consists of three solid propellant stages and an optional monopropellant fourth stage. Pegasus is released from its carrier aircraft at approximately 12,000 m (39,000 ft), and its first stage has a wing and a tail to provide lift and altitude control while in the atmosphere. Notably, the first stage does not have a thrust vector control (TVC) system.
Pegasus XL | |
| Function | Launch vehicle |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Northrop Grumman |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Cost per launch | US$40 million |
| Size | |
| Height | 16.9 m (55 ft) (Pegasus) 17.6 m (58 ft) (Pegasus XL) |
| Diameter | 1.27 m (4 ft 2 in) |
| Mass | 18,500 kg (40,800 lb) (Pegasus) 23,130 kg (50,990 lb) (Pegasus XL) |
| Stages | 3 |
| Capacity | |
| Payload to Low Earth orbit | |
| Mass | 443 kg (977 lb) |
| Associated rockets | |
| Family | Air launch to orbit |
| Derivative work | Minotaur-C |
| Comparable | Electron, Vector-H, Falcon 1, Pegasus |
| Launch history | |
| Status | Active |
| Launch sites | Air launch to orbit |
| Total launches | 45 |
| Success(es) | 40 |
| Failure(s) | 3 |
| Partial failure(s) | 2 |
| First flight | 5 April 1990 (Pegsat / NavySat) |
| Last flight | 13 June 2021 (TacRL-2 / Odyssey) |
| First stage – Orion 50S | |
| Powered by | 1 Solid |
| Maximum thrust | 500 kilonewtons (110,000 lbf) |
| Burn time | 75.3 seconds |
| Propellant | Solid |
| First stage – Orion 50SXL (pegasus XL) | |
| Powered by | 1 Solid |
| Maximum thrust | 647.5 kilonewtons (145,600 lbf) |
| Burn time | 69.1 seconds |
| Propellant | Solid |
| Second stage – Orion 50 | |
| Powered by | 1 Solid |
| Maximum thrust | 114.6 kilonewtons (25,800 lbf) |
| Burn time | 75.6 seconds |
| Propellant | Solid |
| Second stage – Orion 50XL (pegasus XL) | |
| Powered by | 1 Solid |
| Maximum thrust | 160.6 kilonewtons (36,100 lbf) |
| Burn time | 69.7 seconds |
| Propellant | Solid |
| Third stage – Orion 38 | |
| Powered by | 1 Solid |
| Maximum thrust | 32.2 kilonewtons (7,200 lbf) |
| Burn time | 67.7 seconds |
| Propellant | Solid |
| Fourth stage – HAPS (optional) | |
| Powered by | MR-107N (3) |
| Maximum thrust | 0.67 kilonewtons (150 lbf) |
| Burn time | 245 seconds |
| Propellant | Hydrazine |
| Part of a series on |
| Private spaceflight |
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| Active companies |
| Active vehicles |
| Contracts and programs |
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