Orbital Minotaur VI - Manual (Page 16)

Minotaur IV • V • VI User’s Guide Section 1.0 - Introduction
1. INTRODUCTION
This User’s Guide is intended to familiarize payload
mission planners with the capabilities of the Orbital
Suborbital Program 3 (OSP-3) Minotaur IV Launch
Vehicle (LV) launch service. The information provided
in this user’s guide is for initial planning purposes
only. Information for development/design is
determined through mission specific engineering
analyses. The results of these analyses are
documented in a mission-specific Interface Control
Document (ICD) for the payload organization to use in
their development/design process. This User’s Guide
provides an overview of the Minotaur IV family of
launch vehicles system design and a description of
the services provided to our customers. The Minotaur
IV family of launch vehicles includes the Minotaur IV,
IV+, V, VI, and VI+. Minotaur vehicles offer a variety
of enhancement options to allow the maximum
flexibility in satisfying the objectives of single or
multiple payloads.
The primary mission of the Minotaur IV family of
vehicles is to provide low cost, high reliability launch
services to government-sponsored payloads. The
Minotaur design accomplishes this using flight proven
components with significant flight heritage. The
philosophy of placing mission success as the highest
priority is reflected in the success and accuracy of all
Minotaur missions to date.
This User’s Guide describes the basic elements of the
Minotaur IV system as well as optional services that
are available. In addition, this document provides
general vehicle performance, defines payload
accommodations and environments, and outlines the
Minotaur mission integration process. Minotaur-
unique integration and test approaches (including the
typical operational timeline for payload integration
with the Minotaur vehicles) and the ground support
equipment that will be used to conduct Minotaur
operations are also described.
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