Minotaur II

Minotaur II rockets consist of the M55A1 first stage and SR19AJ1 second stage of a decommissioned Minuteman missile. The third stage varies depending on the configuration required for the payload. A Minuteman II M57A1 stage is used on the baseline configuration, whilst the Minotaur II+ uses an SR-73-AJ. The Minotaur II Lite is a two-stage configuration, without a third stage. A heavy configuration is also available, with an Orion 50XL third stage, as used on the Minotaur I. The baseline configuration can propel a 400 kilograms (880 lb) payload into a 4,000 kilometres (2,500 mi) downrange, whilst the heavy configuration can place 1,400 kilograms (3,100 lb) onto a 8,000-kilometre (5,000 mi) trajectory.

Minotaur II

Minotaur II launch from Vandenberg
Function	Suborbital launch system
Manufacturer	Orbital Sciences
Country of origin	United States
Size
Height	19.21 metres (63.0 ft)
Diameter	1.67 metres (5 ft 6 in)
Mass	36,200 kilograms (79,800 lb)
Stages	2 or 3
Capacity
Payload to 8000km S/O
Mass	400 kilograms (880 lb)
Launch history
Status	Active
Launch sites	Vandenberg LF-06
Total launches	8
Success(es)	8
First flight	28 May 2000
Last flight	24 September 2008
First stage – M55E1
Engines	1 Solid
Thrust	935 kilonewtons (210,000 lbf)
Fuel	Solid
Second stage – SR19AJ1
Engines	1 Solid
Thrust	268 kilonewtons (60,000 lbf)
Fuel	Solid
Third stage (Baseline) – M57A1
Engines	1 Solid
Fuel	Solid
Third stage (Minotaur II+) – SR-73-AJ
Engines	1 Solid
Fuel	Solid
Third stage (Heavy) – Orion 50XL
Engines	1 Solid
Thrust	118.2 kilonewtons (26,600 lbf)
Burn time	74 seconds
Fuel	Solid

Eight Minotaur II have been launched as of May 2009, with six flights using the baseline configuration and two using the Minotaur II+ configuration. Launches are conducted from Launch Facility 06.