NEXT SPACEFLIGHT

Status

Success

NFIRE

Launch Time
Tue Apr 24, 2007 06:48 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

NFIRE

The Near Field Infrared Experiment (NFIRE) is a satellite which was proposed and developed by the Missile Defense Agency, a division of the United States Department of Defense. Though primarily designed to gather data on exhaust plumes from rockets, the satellite was also intended to contain a kill vehicle similar to kinds intended for the Strategic Defense Initiative. A missile was then to be fired at and nearly miss the instrumented kill vehicle. This feature was later removed.

Payloads: 1
Total Mass: 494.0 kg
Low Earth Orbit

Location

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

Stats

2007

16th orbital launch attempt

Minotaur I

7th mission
1st mission of 2007
7th successful mission