Minotaur V

Peacekeeper SLV 5-stage

Mission Profile

The Minotaur V (Peacekeeper SLV 5-stage) was a five-stage American solid-fuelled launch vehicle in the Minuteman family, using three Peacekeeper ICBM stages with two additional commercial upper stages for high-energy escape trajectories. Standing 24.6 m tall with a 1.7 m diameter and a liftoff mass of 36.2 tonnes, it generated 1,600 kN of first-stage thrust. First flying in September 2013, the Minotaur V launched NASA's LADEE lunar orbiter, demonstrating the ability to use surplus ICBM motors for beyond-Earth-orbit missions.