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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 2 | 0 |
| 2005 | 2 | 0 |
| 2006 | 2 | 0 |
| 2007 | 1 | 0 |
| 2009 | 1 | 0 |
| 2011 | 2 | 0 |
| 2013 | 1 | 0 |
| 2021 | 1 | 0 |
| 2026 | 0 | 1 |
| 2027 | 0 | 1 |
| 2028 | 0 | 1 |
| 2029 | 0 | 1 |
| 2030 | 0 | 1 |
| 2031 | 0 | 1 |
| 2032 | 0 | 1 |
| 2033 | 0 | 1 |
| 2034 | 0 | 1 |
Payload capacity by variant and target orbit when structured capacity rows are available.
| Variant | Orbit | Capacity | Altitude | Inclination | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Minotaur I | LEO | 580 kg | Unknown | Unknown | Manual Minotaur I public-performance fallback. |
Minotaur I | SSO | 331 kg | Unknown | Unknown | Minotaur I page plus Northrop Grumman Minotaur I User Guide |
Latest launched missions using variants in this family.
| Mission | Variant | Launch |
|---|---|---|
| USA 316/317/318 | Minotaur I | Jun 15, 2021 |
| ORS-3/STPSAT-3 | Minotaur I | Nov 20, 2013 |
| ORS-1 | Minotaur I | Jun 30, 2011 |
| RPP |
Canonical variants rolled up into this launch vehicle family.
| Variant | Stages | Missions | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
Minotaur I | Not stated | 12 | Active |
| 2035 | 0 | 1 |
| 2036 | 0 | 1 |
| 2037 | 0 | 1 |
| 2038 | 0 | 1 |
| 2039 | 0 | 1 |
| 2040 | 0 | 1 |
| 2041 | 0 | 1 |
1 launch location represented.
| Year | Location | Launches | Confidence | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Vandenberg Space Force Base | 1 | 20% | Editable low-confidence Minotaur I annual throughput fallback. |
| 2027 | Vandenberg Space Force Base | 1 | 20% | Editable low-confidence Minotaur I annual throughput fallback. |
| 2028 | Vandenberg Space Force Base | 1 | 20% | Editable low-confidence Minotaur I annual throughput fallback. |
| 2029 | Vandenberg Space Force Base | 1 | 20% | Editable low-confidence Minotaur I annual throughput fallback. |
| 2030 | Vandenberg Space Force Base | 1 | 20% | Editable low-confidence Minotaur I annual throughput fallback. |
| 2031 | Vandenberg Space Force Base | 1 | 20% | Editable low-confidence Minotaur I annual throughput fallback. |
| 2032 | Vandenberg Space Force Base | 1 | 20% | Editable low-confidence Minotaur I annual throughput fallback. |
| 2033 | Vandenberg Space Force Base | 1 | 20% | Editable low-confidence Minotaur I annual throughput fallback. |
| 2034 | Vandenberg Space Force Base | 1 | 20% | Editable low-confidence Minotaur I annual throughput fallback. |
| 2035 | Vandenberg Space Force Base | 1 | 20% | Editable low-confidence Minotaur I annual throughput fallback. |
| 2036 | Vandenberg Space Force Base | 1 | 20% | Editable low-confidence Minotaur I annual throughput fallback. |
| 2037 | Vandenberg Space Force Base | 1 | 20% | Editable low-confidence Minotaur I annual throughput fallback. |
| 2038 | Vandenberg Space Force Base | 1 | 20% | Editable low-confidence Minotaur I annual throughput fallback. |
| 2039 | Vandenberg Space Force Base | 1 | 20% | Editable low-confidence Minotaur I annual throughput fallback. |
| 2040 | Vandenberg Space Force Base | 1 | 20% | Editable low-confidence Minotaur I annual throughput fallback. |
| 2041 | Vandenberg Space Force Base | 1 | 20% | Editable low-confidence Minotaur I annual throughput fallback. Site-year coverage backfill copied nearest prior site-rate row. |
Editable low-confidence Minotaur I annual throughput fallback.
Editable low-confidence Minotaur I annual throughput fallback.
Editable low-confidence Minotaur I annual throughput fallback.
Editable low-confidence Minotaur I annual throughput fallback.
Editable low-confidence Minotaur I annual throughput fallback.
Editable low-confidence Minotaur I annual throughput fallback.
Minotaur I |
| Feb 6, 2011 |
| Tacsat 3 Mission | Minotaur I | May 19, 2009 |
| NFIRE Mission | Minotaur I | Apr 24, 2007 |
| Tacsat 2 Mission | Minotaur I | Dec 16, 2006 |
| FORMOSAT 3 FM6 | Minotaur I | Apr 15, 2006 |
Upcoming mission rows with announced launch timing.
| Mission | Variant | Announced |
|---|---|---|
No forecasted missionsNo upcoming announced mission rows are linked to this vehicle family. | ||
Editable low-confidence Minotaur I annual throughput fallback.
Editable low-confidence Minotaur I annual throughput fallback.
Editable low-confidence Minotaur I annual throughput fallback.
Editable low-confidence Minotaur I annual throughput fallback.
Editable low-confidence Minotaur I annual throughput fallback.
Editable low-confidence Minotaur I annual throughput fallback.
An unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile was launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in a routine test launch.
This week's launch window for FLTA007 was unavailable because a planned Minuteman III GT255GM test took priority on the range.
Several large artifacts remain at SLC-10, including a Thor Agena rocket, an Agena upper stage, and a Minuteman training vehicle equipped to dispense decoys.
Some large artifacts remain at SLC-10, including a Thor Agena rocket, an Agena upper stage, and a Minuteman training vehicle equipped to dispense decoys.
Minuteman III ICBMs are pulled from a silo in the Midwest, shipped to Vandenberg, instrumented, and launched downrange several times a year for operational tests.
The original Minuteman ICBM was designed for quick-reaction strategic bombardment from underground launch facilities in the continental United States.
Minuteman missiles could launch within seconds after receiving a fire order.
Minuteman ICBMs were three-stage solid-fueled missiles, smaller than other boosters used for NRP launches.
FASTBACK utilized a refurbished Minuteman ICBM with an additional fourth stage consisting of an orbital inject motor.
FASTBACK envisioned a refurbished LGM-30 Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) placing a photographic satellite into low earth orbit (LEO) within 24 hours of a launch decision.
Virtualitics held a contract with the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center to use its platform to predict maintenance needs for the Minuteman 3 intercontinental ballistic missile fleet.
The Air Force awarded Northrop Grumman a $13,300,000,000 contract in 2020 to design and develop a next-generation intercontinental ballistic missile to replace the Minuteman III missiles.
The FASTBACK proposal aimed to carry a panoramic camera system on a modified Minuteman I missile.
The Ground Based Strategic Deterrent program to replace the Minuteman III started around 2015 and is projected to reach initial operational capability in 2030 and full operational capability in 2035.
An unarmed Minuteman 3 intercontinental ballistic missile test launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base experienced a ground abort during the terminal countdown on 2021-05-05.
The Minuteman 3 missiles were first deployed in 1970 with an expected 10-year service life and have undergone multiple life extensions.
Vandenberg Air Force Base has supported missile launches including Minuteman 3 intercontinental ballistic missile tests and missile defense tests.
The Ground Based Strategic Deterrent program is a decades-long effort to design, develop, produce, and deploy a replacement for the current Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile.
The Eastern Range can launch every vehicle in the U.S. fleet except the Minuteman 3 intercontinental ballistic missile, which is launched from Vandenberg.
The Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD) is an estimated $63,000,000,000 program to replace the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile.