NEXT SPACEFLIGHT

Status

Success

TacSat-2 & GeneSat-1

Launch Time
Sat Dec 16, 2006 12:00 UTC

Rocket

Minotaur I
Image Credit: Northrop Grumman
Northrop
Status: Active
Price: $40.0 million
Liftoff Thrust: 935 kN
Payload to LEO: 580 kg
Stages: 4
Strap-ons: 0
Rocket Height: 19.21 m
Fairing Diameter: 1.27 m
Fairing Height: 3.79 m

Mission Details

TacSat-2

The TacSat series of experimental spacecraft are designed to allow military commanders on a battlefield to request and obtain imagery and other data from a satellite as it passes overhead. Collected data will be delivered to field commanders in minutes rather than hours or days. The sensor on TacSat-2 could collect color images sharp enough to distinguish ground objects as small as 1 meter in diameter.

Payloads: 1
Total Mass: 370.0 kg
Low Earth Orbit

GeneSat-1

GeneSat-1 is a fully automated, CubeSat spaceflight system that provides life support for bacteria.

Payloads: 1
Total Mass: 5.0 kg
Low Earth Orbit

Location

LP-0B, Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia, USA

Stats

2006

61st orbital launch attempt

Minotaur I

6th mission
2nd mission of 2006
6th successful mission