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Minotaur IV
23.9m
Human (1.8m)
1.8m
Minotaur IV / Credits: Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons)
United StatesRetired2010–2022
Minotaur IV
Orbital Sciences / Northrop Grumman
A US military rocket built from repurposed Peacekeeper ICBM stages — turning nuclear missiles into satellite launchers.
Minotaur IV uses the first three solid-rocket stages of the decommissioned LGM-118 Peacekeeper ICBM, repurposed under the Orbital/Suborbital Program. It achieved a perfect 7/7 success rate. The vehicle has primarily launched classified national security payloads and scientific satellites into polar and sun-synchronous orbits.
Fun facts
Built from Peacekeeper ICBM motors — nuclear warhead delivery vehicles turned peaceful satellite launchers.
Flew a perfect 7/7 success rate over its service life.
Launched HTV-2, the world's fastest aircraft at Mach 20 (DARPA Falcon project).
Height
23.9 m
Diameter
2.34 m
Mass
86.3 t
Stages
4
Thrust
2,224 kN
Payload LEO
1,735 kg
Payload GTO
—
Total flights
7
Success rate100.0%
7 success0 failure
Launch pads
- SLC-8, Vandenberg
- LP-0B, Kodiak
No upcoming launches scheduled.
