Northrop Grumman Pegasus
Pegasus XL launching CYGNSS in 2016 | |
| Function | Small-lift launch vehicle |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Northrop Grumman |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Cost per launch | US$40 million |
| Size | |
| Height | 16.9 m (55 ft 5 in) XL: 17.6 m (57 ft 9 in) |
| Diameter | 1.27 m (4 ft 2 in) |
| Mass | 18,500 kg (40,800 lb) XL: 23,130 kg (50,990 lb) |
| Stages | 3 |
| Capacity | |
| Payload to LEO | |
| Altitude | 200 km (120 mi) |
| Orbital inclination | 28.5° |
| Mass | 450 kg (990 lb) |
| Associated rockets | |
| Derivative work | Minotaur-C |
| Comparable | Electron, Vector-H, Falcon 1, LauncherOne |
| Launch history | |
| Status | Active, no planned launches |
| Launch sites | |
| 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 | |
| Maximum thrust | 500 kN (110,000 lbf) |
| Burn time | 75.3 seconds |
| Propellant | HTPB / Al |
| First stage (Pegasus XL) – Orion 50SXL | |
| Height | 10.27 m (33 ft 8 in) |
| Diameter | 1.28 m (4 ft 2 in) |
| Empty mass | 1,369 kg (3,018 lb) |
| Gross mass | 16,383 kg (36,118 lb) |
| Propellant mass | 15,014 kg (33,100 lb) |
| Maximum thrust | 726 kN (163,000 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 295 s (2.89 km/s) |
| Burn time | 68.6 seconds |
| Propellant | HTPB / Al |
| Second stage – Orion 50 | |
| Maximum thrust | 114.6 kN (25,800 lbf) |
| Burn time | 75.6 seconds |
| Propellant | HTPB / Al |
| Second stage (Pegasus XL) – Orion 50XL | |
| Height | 3.07 m (10 ft 1 in) |
| Diameter | 1.28 m (4 ft 2 in) |
| Empty mass | 391 kg (862 lb) |
| Gross mass | 4,306 kg (9,493 lb) |
| Propellant mass | 3,915 kg (8,631 lb) |
| Maximum thrust | 158 kN (36,000 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 289 s (2.83 km/s) |
| Burn time | 71 seconds |
| Propellant | HTPB / Al |
| Third stage – Orion 38 | |
| Height | 1.34 m (4 ft 5 in) |
| Diameter | 0.97 m (3 ft 2 in) |
| Empty mass | 102.1 kg (225 lb) |
| Gross mass | 872.3 kg (1,923 lb) |
| Propellant mass | 770.2 kg (1,698 lb) |
| Maximum thrust | 32.7 kN (7,400 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 287 s (2.81 km/s) |
| Burn time | 66.8 seconds |
| Propellant | HTPB / Al |
| Fourth stage (optional) – HAPS | |
| Height | 0.3 m (1 ft 0 in) |
| Diameter | 0.97 m (3 ft 2 in) |
| Propellant mass | 72 kg (159 lb) |
| Powered by | 3 × MR-107N |
| Maximum thrust | 0.666 kN (150 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 230.5 s (2.260 km/s) |
| Burn time | 131 + 110 seconds (2 burns) |
| Propellant | N2H4 |
| Part of a series on |
| Private spaceflight |
|---|
Pegasus is an air-launched multistage rocket developed by Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC) and later 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 remained 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) using a first stage wing and a tail to provide lift and altitude control while in the atmosphere. The first stage does not have a thrust vector control (TVC) system.