Rocket file · LV-175
Minotaur I
Photograph: NASA · NASA Image and Media Guidelines · licence
Minotaur I is an expendable launch vehicle built by Orbital Sciences Corporation. It stands 19.2 m tall, lifts 580 kg to low Earth orbit, first flew on 27 January 2000. It has flown 12 times with 12 successes, a success rate of 100.0%. It has nothing on the Launch Library 2 schedule right now.
Specification
Vehicle spec sheet
As listed by Launch Library 2. The cost is Launch Library’s figure, not a quoted price. Figures for rockets outside the sixty most-flown were last read on 2026-11-05.
Flight record
Reliability
About Minotaur I
The Minotaur I launch system is derived from converted Minuteman II ICBMs and is used to launch small satellites for the US Government. The first and second stages, taken directly from decommissioned Minuteman missiles, are mated to the Orion third and fourth stages taken from the Pegasus XL air-launched rocket family. An optional hydrazine-powered fifth stage called HAPS can be used.The Minotaur I launch system is derived from converted Minuteman II ICBMs and is used to launch small satellites for the US Government. An optional hydrazine-powered fifth stage called HAPS can be used.
Upcoming flights
Manifest
There's no Minotaur I flight on the Launch Library 2 schedule right now.
All upcoming launchesMinotaur I in the archive
From NASA's public image library and Wikimedia Commons. Each photo shows the credit its licence asks for and links back to where it came from.
Orbitburn is a gravity lander game with 25 ships. It's free on Android, and you can play it in your browser.Get it free on Google Play
Common questions
- How many times has Minotaur I flown?
- 12 times, with 12 successes and 0 failures.
- What is Minotaur I's success rate?
- 100.0%. That's 12 successful flights out of 12 attempts.
- When is the next Minotaur I launch?
- Minotaur I has nothing on the Launch Library 2 schedule right now.
- How much can Minotaur I lift to orbit?
- Launch Library 2 lists Minotaur I at 580 kg to low Earth orbit.
- Is Minotaur I reusable?
- No. Launch Library 2 lists Minotaur I as expendable, so no stage is recovered to fly again.