Minotaur IV/HTV-2 Lifts Off

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Ryne Roady
  • Space Development and Test Wing
Kirtland Air Force Base, NM --  The Minotaur IV space launch vehicle successfully completed its first lift-off April 22, from Space Launch Complex 8 at Vandenberg AFB, Calif.

At approximately 4 p.m., the rocket's first stage ignited, sending the rocket and its payload, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Falcon Hypersonic Technology Vehicle 2, into a designed suborbital flight. The launch was a well-deserved triumph for many organizations across Air Force Space Command, including the Space Development and Test Wing at Kirtland AFB, and the 30th Space Wing at Vandenberg AFB.

"All the members of the launch team conducted a flawless mission today with the launch of this first Minotaur IV," said Col. Scott Handy, SDTW's Space Test Group commander and mission director for the HTV-2 mission. "I could not be more pleased with the tremendous level of support provided by Orbital Sciences Corporation, TASC, 30th Space Wing, our leadership and of course the members of the team at the Space Development and Test Wing's Launch Test Squadron."

The launch test squadron saw the payoff of nearly four years of development efforts along with the prime contractor for the Minotaur IV, Orbital Sciences Corporation. At the launch site, the successful processing and integration of the new launch system was managed and controlled superbly by the 30th Space Wing's 1st Air and Space Test Squadron.

Another key enabler from the 30th Space Wing was the range command and control support of the 2nd Range Operations Squadron, which helped expand the set of range assets necessary for the launch. Finally, the payload processing and prelaunch integration efforts were attributable to the outstanding teamwork from the DARPA/Lockheed Martin team.

"The Department of Defense is recognizing that the men and women of the Space Development and Test Wing are experts at managing and launching reliable rocket systems," said Col. Mike Moran, SDTW commander. "Through the Launch Test Squadron's Orbital/Suborbital Program, they provide a complete spectrum of launch support services. Congratulations to Colonel Handy and the other members of the launch team for a job well done."

The Minotaur IV is the newest variant in the Minotaur family of rockets built by Orbital Sciences Corporation. The rocket is a four-stage solid-fuel vehicle consisting of three decommissioned Peacekeeper missile stages and a fourth commercially built stage developed by OSC. For the maiden flight, the Minotaur IV rocket was in a Lite configuration, launching with only the first three Peacekeeper stages due to the payload mission requirements.

The inaugural launch marks the beginning of a busy manifest for the Minotaur IV, with four additional launches planned in the next year. The Space-Based Space Surveillance satellite is the next payload scheduled to launch in July, also from Vandenberg AFB.

"Launch success is short-lived," Col. Moran emphasized. "To continue to be successful, we must treat every mission as if it were the first. As we turn our attention to the next Minotaur IV mission supporting Space-Based Space Surveillance, we will once again focus all our energies on mission success and in so doing, continue to deliver new capabilities to our nation's warfighters."