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Northrop Grumman Pegasus
Air-launched rocket / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Pegasus is an air-launched launch vehicle developed by Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC) and now built and launched by Northrop Grumman. Pegasus is the world's first privately developed orbital launch vehicle.[1][2] Capable of carrying small payloads of up to 443 kg (977 lb) into low Earth orbit, Pegasus first flew in 1990 and remains active as of 2021[update]. The vehicle consists of three solid propellant stages and an optional monopropellant fourth stage. Pegasus is released from its carrier aircraft at approximately 12,000 m (39,000 ft), and its first stage has a wing and a tail to provide lift and attitude control while in the atmosphere. Notably, the first stage does not have a thrust vector control (TVC) system.[3]
![]() Pegasus XL | |
Function | Launch vehicle |
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Manufacturer | Northrop Grumman |
Country of origin | United States |
Cost per launch | US$40 million |
Size | |
Height | 16.9 m (55 ft) (Pegasus) 17.6 m (58 ft) (Pegasus XL) |
Diameter | 1.27 m (4 ft 2 in) |
Mass | 18,500 kg (40,800 lb) (Pegasus) 23,130 kg (50,990 lb) (Pegasus XL) |
Stages | 3 |
Capacity | |
Payload to Low Earth orbit | |
Mass | 443 kg (977 lb) |
Associated rockets | |
Family | Air launch to orbit |
Derivative work | Minotaur-C |
Comparable | Electron, Vector-H, Falcon 1, Pegasus |
Launch history | |
Status | Active |
Launch sites | Air launch to orbit |
Total launches | 45 |
Success(es) | 40 |
Failure(s) | 3 |
Partial failure(s) | 2 |
First flight | 5 April 1990 (Pegsat / NavySat) |
Last flight | 13 June 2021 (TacRL-2 / Odyssey) |
Part of a series on |
Private spaceflight |
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Active companies |
Active vehicles |
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