The Delta rocket family is a versatile range of American rocket-powered expendable launch systems that has provided space launch capability in the United States since 1960. Japan also launched license-built derivatives from 1975 to 1992. More than 300 Delta rockets have been launched with a 95% success rate. The series has been phased-out in favor of the Vulcan Centaur,with only the Delta IV Heavy rocket's last rocket launch due to occur in March 2024.
Titan IV was a family of heavy-lift space launch vehicles developed by Martin Marietta and operated by the United States Air Force from 1989 to 2005. Launches were conducted from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station,Florida and Vandenberg Air Force Base,California.
IKONOS was a commercial Earth observation satellite,and was the first to collect publicly available high-resolution imagery at 1- and 4-meter resolution. It collected multispectral (MS) and panchromatic (PAN) imagery. The capability to observe Earth via space-based telescope has been called "one of the most significant developments in the history of the space age",and IKONOS brought imagery rivaling that of military spy satellites to the commercial market. IKONOS imagery began being sold on 1 January 2000,and the spacecraft was retired in 2015.
Minotaur-C,formerly known as Taurus or Taurus XL,is a four stage solid fueled launch vehicle built in the United States by Orbital Sciences and launched from SLC-576E at California's Vandenberg Air Force Base. It is based on the air-launched Pegasus rocket from the same manufacturer,utilizing a "zeroth stage" in place of an airplane. The Minotaur-C is able to carry a maximum payload of around 1458 kg into a low Earth orbit (LEO).
Space Launch Complex 3 (SLC-3) is a launch site at Vandenberg Space Force Base that consists of two separate launch pads. SLC-3E (East) was used by the Atlas V launch vehicle before it was decommissioned in August 2021 with the final launch taking place on November 10,2022 at 09:49,while SLC-3W (West) has been demolished.
The Minotaur is a family of United States solid fuel launch vehicles derived from converted Minuteman and Peacekeeper intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM). They are built by Northrop Grumman via contract with the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center's Space Development and Test Directorate (SMC/SD) as part of the Air Force's Rocket Systems Launch Program which converts retired Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles into space and test launch systems for U.S. government agencies.
Before the Apollo 11 Moon landing in 1969,NASA began studies of Space Shuttle designs as early as October 1968. The early studies were denoted "Phase A",and in June 1970,"Phase B",which were more detailed and specific. The primary intended use of the Space Shuttle was supporting the future space station,ferrying a minimum crew of four and about 20,000 pounds (9,100 kg) of cargo,and being able to be rapidly turned around for future flights.
Space Launch Complex 6 at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California is a launch pad and support area. The site was originally developed starting in 1966,but no launches occurred until 1995,as it was repurposed sequentially for three programs that were subsequently cancelled. Initially to be used for Titan IIIM rockets and the Manned Orbiting Laboratory,these were cancelled before construction of SLC-6 was complete. The complex was later rebuilt to serve as the west coast launch site for the Space Shuttle,but went unused due to budget,safety and political considerations. The pad was subsequently used for four Athena rocket launches before being modified to support the Delta IV launch vehicle family,which used the pad for ten launches from 2006 until 2022. The last Delta IV launched in September 2022,and SpaceX leased SLC-6 in 2023 to convert it to launch Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy starting in 2025.
Athena was a 1990s Lockheed Martin expendable launch system which underwent several name changes in its lifetime.
The Minotaur I,or just Minotaur is an American expendable launch system derived from the Minuteman II missile. It is used to launch small satellites for the US Government,and is a member of the Minotaur family of rockets produced by Orbital Sciences Corporation.
GeoEye Inc. was an American commercial satellite imagery company based in Herndon,Virginia. GeoEye was merged into the DigitalGlobe corporation on January 29,2013.
Castor is a family of solid-fuel rocket stages and boosters built by Thiokol and used on a variety of launch vehicles. They were initially developed as the second-stage motor of the Scout rocket. The design was based on the MGM-29 Sergeant,a surface-to-surface missile developed for the United States Army at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Antares,known during early development as Taurus II,is an expendable launch system developed by Orbital Sciences Corporation and the Pivdenne Design Bureau to launch the Cygnus spacecraft to the International Space Station as part of NASA's COTS and CRS programs. Able to launch payloads heavier than 8,000 kg (18,000 lb) into low Earth orbit,Antares is the largest rocket operated by Northrop Grumman. Antares launches from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport and made its inaugural flight on April 21,2013. Antares 100 was retired in 2014 and series 200 was retired in 2023 due to component unavailability. As of January 2024 Antares 300 is under development.
This comparison of orbital launch systems lists the attributes of all individual rocket configurations designed to reach orbit. A first list contains rockets that are operational or in development as of 2023;a second list includes all upcoming rockets and a third list includes all retired rockets For the simple list of all conventional launcher families,see:Comparison of orbital launchers families. For the list of predominantly solid-fueled orbital launch systems,see:Comparison of solid-fueled orbital launch systems.
The Thor-Ablestar,or Thor-Able-Star,also known as Thor-Epsilon was an early American expendable launch system consisting of a PGM-17 Thor missile,with an Ablestar upper stage. It was a member of the Thor family of rockets,and was derived from the Thor-Able.
Minotaur IV,also known as Peacekeeper SLV and OSP-2 PK is an active expendable launch system derived from the LGM-118 Peacekeeper ICBM. It is operated by Northrop Grumman Space Systems,and made its maiden flight on 22 April 2010,carrying the HTV-2a Hypersonic Test Vehicle. The first orbital launch occurred on 26 September 2010 with the SBSS satellite for the United States Air Force.
The H–I or H–1 was a Japanese liquid-fuelled carrier rocket,consisting of a licence-produced American first stage and set of booster rockets,and all-Japanese upper stages. The H in the name represented the use of liquid hydrogen fuel in the second stage. It was launched nine times between 1986 and 1992. It replaced the N-II,and was subsequently replaced by the H-II,which used the same upper stages with a Japanese first stage.
The Space Launch Complex 46 (SLC-46),previously Launch Complex 46 (LC-46),is a launch complex at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station operated under license by Space Florida previously used for Athena rocket launches. It has been used by Astra,which will continue the use with Rocket 4 and maybe 5 and will be used by ABL Space Systems for the near-term use by RS1.
The Titan 23G,Titan II(23)G,Titan 2(23)G or Titan II SLV was an American expendable launch system derived from the LGM-25C Titan II intercontinental ballistic missile. Retired Titan II missiles were converted by Martin Marietta,into which the Glenn L. Martin Company,which built the original Titan II,had merged. It was used to carry payloads for the United States Air Force (USAF),NASA and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Thirteen were launched from Space Launch Complex 4W (SLC-4W) at the Vandenberg Air Force Base between 1988 and 2003.
The Athena I,known as the Lockheed Launch Vehicle (LLV) at the time of its first flight and Lockheed Martin Launch Vehicle (LMLV) at the time of its second flight,was an American small expendable launch system which was used for four launches between 1995 and 2001. It is a member of the Athena family of rockets,along with the larger Athena II.
