Family-level launch record combining canonical variants, historical missions, public cadence forecasts, and available payload performance specs.
Historical missions are grouped by actual launch year. Forecast cadence uses family-level launch-rate rows.
| Year | Historical missions | Forecast launches |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 2 | 0 |
| 2011 | 1 | 0 |
| 2013 | 1 | 0 |
| 2017 | 1 | 0 |
| 2020 | 1 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 | 0 |
| 2026 | 1 | 2 |
| 2027 | 0 | 2 |
| 2028 | 0 | 2 |
| 2029 | 0 | 2 |
| 2030 | 0 | 2 |
| 2031 | 0 | 2 |
| 2032 | 0 | 2 |
| 2033 | 0 | 2 |
| 2034 | 0 | 2 |
| 2035 | 0 | 2 |
| 2036 | 0 | 2 |
Payload capacity by variant and target orbit when structured capacity rows are available.
| Variant | Orbit | Capacity | Altitude | Inclination | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Minotaur IV | LEO | 1,735 kg | Unknown | Unknown | Manual Minotaur IV public-performance fallback. |
Latest launched missions using variants in this family.
| Mission | Variant | Launch |
|---|---|---|
| STP-S29A | Minotaur IV | Apr 7, 2026 |
| NROL-174 | Minotaur IV | Apr 16, 2025 |
| NROL-129 | Minotaur IV | Jul 15, 2020 |
| ORS-5 Mission |
Canonical variants rolled up into this launch vehicle family.
| Variant | Stages | Missions | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
Minotaur IV | Not stated | 4 | Active |
Minotaur IV+ | Not stated | 1 | Retired |
Minotaur IV 2 | Not stated | 1 | Retired |
Minotaur IV H | Not stated | 1 | Retired |
| 2037 | 0 | 2 |
| 2038 | 0 | 2 |
| 2039 | 0 | 2 |
| 2040 | 0 | 2 |
| 2041 | 0 | 2 |
1 launch location represented.
| Year | Location | Launches | Confidence | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Vandenberg Space Force Base | 2 | 20% | Editable low-confidence Minotaur IV annual throughput fallback. |
| 2027 | Vandenberg Space Force Base | 2 | 20% | Editable low-confidence Minotaur IV annual throughput fallback. |
| 2028 | Vandenberg Space Force Base | 2 | 20% | Editable low-confidence Minotaur IV annual throughput fallback. |
| 2029 | Vandenberg Space Force Base | 2 | 20% | Editable low-confidence Minotaur IV annual throughput fallback. |
| 2030 | Vandenberg Space Force Base | 2 | 20% | Editable low-confidence Minotaur IV annual throughput fallback. |
| 2031 | Vandenberg Space Force Base | 2 | 20% | Editable low-confidence Minotaur IV annual throughput fallback. |
| 2032 | Vandenberg Space Force Base | 2 | 20% | Editable low-confidence Minotaur IV annual throughput fallback. |
| 2033 | Vandenberg Space Force Base | 2 | 20% | Editable low-confidence Minotaur IV annual throughput fallback. |
| 2034 | Vandenberg Space Force Base | 2 | 20% | Editable low-confidence Minotaur IV annual throughput fallback. |
| 2035 | Vandenberg Space Force Base | 2 | 20% | Editable low-confidence Minotaur IV annual throughput fallback. |
| 2036 | Vandenberg Space Force Base | 2 | 20% | Editable low-confidence Minotaur IV annual throughput fallback. |
| 2037 | Vandenberg Space Force Base | 2 | 20% | Editable low-confidence Minotaur IV annual throughput fallback. |
| 2038 | Vandenberg Space Force Base | 2 | 20% | Editable low-confidence Minotaur IV annual throughput fallback. |
| 2039 | Vandenberg Space Force Base | 2 | 20% | Editable low-confidence Minotaur IV annual throughput fallback. |
| 2040 | Vandenberg Space Force Base | 2 | 20% | Editable low-confidence Minotaur IV annual throughput fallback. |
| 2041 | Vandenberg Space Force Base | 2 | 20% | Editable low-confidence Minotaur IV annual throughput fallback. Site-year coverage backfill copied nearest prior site-rate row. |
Editable low-confidence Minotaur IV annual throughput fallback.
Editable low-confidence Minotaur IV annual throughput fallback.
Editable low-confidence Minotaur IV annual throughput fallback.
Editable low-confidence Minotaur IV annual throughput fallback.
Editable low-confidence Minotaur IV annual throughput fallback.
Editable low-confidence Minotaur IV annual throughput fallback.
Minotaur IV 2 |
| Aug 26, 2017 |
| LADEE Mission | Minotaur V | Sep 7, 2013 |
| Tacsat-4 | Minotaur IV+ | Sep 27, 2011 |
| STP S26 | Minotaur IV H | Nov 20, 2010 |
| SBSS | Minotaur IV | Sep 26, 2010 |
Upcoming mission rows with announced launch timing.
| Mission | Variant | Announced |
|---|---|---|
No forecasted missionsNo upcoming announced mission rows are linked to this vehicle family. | ||
Minotaur V | Not stated | 1 | Retired |
Editable low-confidence Minotaur IV annual throughput fallback.
Editable low-confidence Minotaur IV annual throughput fallback.
Editable low-confidence Minotaur IV annual throughput fallback.
Editable low-confidence Minotaur IV annual throughput fallback.
Editable low-confidence Minotaur IV annual throughput fallback.
Editable low-confidence Minotaur IV annual throughput fallback.
STP-S29A marked the 31st successful launch of the Minotaur family since its debut in 2000.
The Minotaur IV provides a payload capacity of approximately 1,730 kg to low Earth orbit.
The Minotaur IV uses three decommissioned Peacekeeper intercontinental ballistic missile solid rocket motors for its first three stages and an Orion 38 commercial solid rocket upper stage.
Northrop Grumman’s Minotaur IV has been used for institutional missions that require reliable performance and shorter integration times.
The Minotaur program uses technologies derived from existing missile systems that were repurposed for orbital launch.
Northrop Grumman’s Minotaur IV completed the 31st successful launch in the Minotaur family on April 9, 2026.
The STP-S29A mission used a Minotaur IV launch vehicle to deploy a suite of experimental satellites for the U.S. Space Force’s proliferated combat network architecture.
Minotaur IV launched the STP-S29A mission.
Vandenberg Space Force Base supported the launch of a Minotaur IV rocket carrying the Space Test Program (STP)-S29A mission on Tuesday, April 7, 2026 at 4:33 a.m. from Space Launch Complex 8.
STP-S29A was the first of two Minotaur IV launches expected in 2026.
Vandenberg Space Force Base supported the launch of a Minotaur IV rocket carrying the Space Test Program (STP)-S29A mission on April 7, 2026 at 4:33 a.m.
Vandenberg Space Force Base supported the launch of a Minotaur IV rocket carrying the STP-S29A mission on April 7, 2026 at 4:33 a.m. from Space Launch Complex 8.
The Minotaur IV launch of STP-S29A is scheduled for no earlier than April 7, 2026.
The Minotaur IV launch of STP-S29A has daily launch windows between 11:30 and 16:30 UTC.
Hazard areas have appeared for the Minotaur IV launch of STP-S29A.
NROL-174 ended a four-year hiatus for Minotaur IV launches.
STP-S29A is associated with Minotaur IV.
Minotaur IV for STP-S29A has been stacked on Space Launch Complex 8 ahead of a launch scheduled no earlier than April 7, 2026.
Minotaur IV will make its first launch since NROL-174, which flew about a year earlier and ended a four-year hiatus.
The Kuaizhou-11's closest U.S. analog is the Minotaur IV series, which can deliver about 1.5 tonnes to low Earth orbit and about 1 tonne to sun-synchronous orbit.