Orbital Minotaur VI - Manual (Page 105)

Minotaur IV • V • VI User’s Guide Section 8.0 – Optional Enhanced Capabilities
8.17. Poly-Pico Orbital Deployer (P-POD)
When there is excess performance available on a Minotaur mission, there is an opportunity to fly one or
more P-PODS. Small CubeSats deployed from customer provided P-PODs were successfully flown on
multiple Minotaur missions. A single P-POD can deploy up to 3 CubeSats.
On Minotaur IV, the P-PODs are mounted on shock isolated plates located on the Orion 38 motor case
(Figure 8.17-1) and are deployed in the aft direction following Stage 4 burnout. A standard pyro pulse
from the launch vehicle is used to deploy the P-PODs. The Minotaur IV standard launch vehicle, with the
Orion 38 fourth stage, is capable of deploying up to four P-PODs per mission. Due to their mounting
location, P-PODs can be easily integrated to the launch vehicle on a fully non-interference basis from the
primary spacecraft, thus minimizing impacts to the primary mission spacecraft integration operations. This
enhancement assumes the P-PODs are added to the manifest early enough in the contract that extensive
rework is not required.
Figure 8.17-1. P-PODs Have Successfully Flown On Multiple Minotaur Missions
On other Minotaur configurations, P-PODS are mounted within the fairing volume either on their own
wafer or as secondaries on Orbital-provided structures such as the DPAF, MPAF, or the STAR 37
cylinder where space has been set aside for such opportunities.
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