Taurus is a four stage, solid fuel launch vehicle built by Orbital Sciences Corporation. It is based on the air-launched Pegasus rocket from the same manufacturer. The Taurus rocket is able to carry a payload of around 1,350 kg into a low Earth orbit. First launched in 1994, it has successfully completed six out of a total of eight military and commercial missions. Two launches have ended in failure, including the February 24, 2009 launch of the ...
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Taurus is a four stage, solid fuel launch vehicle built by Orbital Sciences Corporation. It is based on the air-launched Pegasus rocket from the same manufacturer. The Taurus rocket is able to carry a payload of around 1,350 kg into a low Earth orbit. First launched in 1994, it has successfully completed six out of a total of eight military and commercial missions. Two launches have ended in failure, including the February 24, 2009 launch of the Orbiting Carbon Observatory mission.
The Taurus first stage, a Castor 120 made by Thiokol, is based on a Peacekeeper ICBM first stage. Stages 2 and 3 are Orion-50s (like the Pegasus-1 but without wings or stabilisers), and stage 4 is an Orion-38, like a Pegasus-3.
Different configurations are designated using a four digit code, similar to the numbering system used on Delta rockets. The first digit denotes the type of first stage being used, and whether the second and third stages use a standard or "XL" configuration. The second digit denotes...
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