COSMIC (FORMOSAT-3)

Launch Success

Liftoff Time (GMT)

01:40:00

Saturday April 15, 2006

Mission Details

Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate (COSMIC) is a program designed to provide advances in meteorology, ionospheric research, climatology, and space weather by using GPS satellites in conjunction with low Earth orbiting (LEO) satellites.

Low Earth Orbit

6 Payloads

70 kilograms

Rocket

Active

Minotaur I

Active Since 2000

Agency

Northrop

Price

$40.00 million

Rocket

Height: 19.21m

Payload to Orbit

LEO: 580 kg

Liftoff Thrust

935 Kilonewtons

Fairing

Diameter: 1.27m

Height: 3.79m

Stages

4

Launch Site

SLC-8

Vandenberg SFB, California, USA

Fastest Turnaround

133 days 7 hours

SLC-8

Vandenberg SFB, California, USA

Fastest Turnaround

133 days 7 hours

Stats

Minotaur I

5th

Mission

1st

Mission of 2006

2006

12th

Orbital launch attempt