Minotaur IV Orion 38

Minotaur IV with Orion 38

Mission Profile

The Minotaur IV Orion 38 is a variant of the Minotaur IV small launch vehicle that substitutes an Orion 38 solid motor fourth stage, providing enhanced payload delivery flexibility for small government satellites. Built around decommissioned Minuteman III ICBM motors, this 23.9 m tall, four-to-five-stage vehicle generates 1,600 kN of first-stage thrust and carries a liftoff mass of 36,200 kg. First flown in August 2017, it serves U.S. government and Department of Defense missions requiring dedicated small satellite launches to precise orbital parameters at competitive cost.