Orbital Minotaur I - Manual (Page 81)

Minotaur I User’s Guide Section 8.0 – Optional Enhanced Capabilities
8.13. Minotaur I Launch Vehicle Enhanced
Performance Configuration
8.13.1. Minotaur I Commercial
The Minotaur I Commercial space launch vehicle
represents a substantial (over 25%) increase in
performance with minimal vehicle changes, shown
in Figure 8.13.1-1. The configuration was
established for payloads that do not have
government sponsorship but require the highly
reliable Minotaur I capability. The Minotaur I
Commercial vehicle utilizes the identical flight
proven third and fourth stages, mechanical
structures, avionics, pneumatics, and ordnance
subsystems as the base Minotaur I vehicle. The
Minotaur I Commercial vehicle replaces the GFE
Stage 1 and Stage 2 boosters with commercially
available Castor 120 and Orion 50S XLT boosters,
respectively. The S1/2 interstage is flight proven
and is vented to minimize vehicle loads during the
hot separation event by jettisoning vent panels just
prior to Stage 2 ignition. This vehicle configuration
can place a 1050 kg payload into a 740 km by 740
km sun-synchronous orbit when launched from
VAFB and 390 kg to GTO from CCAFS.
8.14. Large Fairing
Details are in Section 5.1.2.
8.15. Hydrazine Servicing
Under this enhancement, Orbital provides
hydrazine fueling service for the SV though a
contract to United Paradyne Corporation (UPC).
Previous 30SW rules placed restrictions on UPC’s
ability to use GFE equipment to provide hydrazine
servicing to non-Government entities. This led
UPC to develop and manufacture their own GSE
and they now possess the ability to contract
directly with Orbital. A typical propellant loading
schematic is shown in Figure 8.15-1.
Figure 8.13.1-1. Minotaur I Commercial Offers
Exceptional Performance with Proven Reliability
Release 3.0 March 2014 68