Minotaur-C 3110

Taurus 3110

Mission Profile

The Minotaur-C 3110 (Taurus 3110) was a four-stage American launch vehicle in the Minuteman-derived family, an enhanced configuration with a more powerful first stage for increased payload capacity. Standing 28.2 m tall with a 2.4 m diameter and a liftoff mass of 90 tonnes, it generated 1,600 kN of first-stage thrust and could deliver 2,200 kg to low Earth orbit. First flying in February 2009, the Minotaur-C 3110 was used for the NASA Orbiting Carbon Observatory mission, though the flight ended in failure when the payload fairing failed to separate.