Northrop Grumman Pegasus

Pegasus

Pegasus XL
Function	Launch vehicle
Manufacturer	Northrop Grumman
Country of origin	United States
Cost per launch	US$40 million [1]
Size
Height	16.9 m (55 ft) (Pegasus) 17.6 m (58 ft) (Pegasus XL)
Diameter	1.27 m (4 ft 2 in)
Mass	18,500 kg (40,800 lb) (Pegasus) 23,130 kg (50,990 lb) (Pegasus XL)
Stages	3
Capacity
Payload to Low Earth orbit
Mass	443 kg (977 lb)
Associated rockets
Family	Air launch to orbit
Derivative work	Minotaur-C
Comparable	Electron, Vector-H, Falcon 1, LauncherOne
Launch history
Status	Active
Launch sites	Air launch to orbit
Total launches	45
Success(es)	40
Failure(s)	3
Partial failure(s)	2
First flight	5 April 1990 (Pegsat / NavySat)
Last flight	13 June 2021 (TacRL-2 / Odyssey)
First stage – Orion 50S
Powered by	1 Solid
Maximum thrust	500 kilonewtons (110,000 lbf)
Burn time	75.3 seconds
Propellant	Solid
First stage – Orion 50SXL (pegasus XL)
Powered by	1 Solid
Maximum thrust	647.5 kilonewtons (145,600 lbf)
Burn time	69.1 seconds
Propellant	Solid
Second stage – Orion 50
Powered by	1 Solid
Maximum thrust	114.6 kilonewtons (25,800 lbf)
Burn time	75.6 seconds
Propellant	Solid
Second stage – Orion 50XL (pegasus XL)
Powered by	1 Solid
Maximum thrust	160.6 kilonewtons (36,100 lbf)
Burn time	69.7 seconds
Propellant	Solid
Third stage – Orion 38
Powered by	1 Solid
Maximum thrust	32.2 kilonewtons (7,200 lbf)
Burn time	67.7 seconds
Propellant	Solid
Fourth stage – HAPS (optional)
Powered by	MR-107N (3)
Maximum thrust	0.67 kilonewtons (150 lbf)
Burn time	245 seconds
Propellant	Hydrazine
[edit on Wikidata]

Pegasus is an air-launched launch vehicle developed by Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC) and now built and launched by Northrop Grumman. Pegasus is the world's first privately developed orbital launch vehicle.^[1][2] Capable of carrying small payloads of up to 443 kg (977 lb) into low Earth orbit, Pegasus first flew in 1990 and remains active as of 2021^[update]. The vehicle consists of three solid propellant stages and an optional monopropellant fourth stage. Pegasus is released from its carrier aircraft at approximately 12,000 m (39,000 ft), and its first stage has a wing and a tail to provide lift and altitude control while in the atmosphere. Notably, the first stage does not have a thrust vector control (TVC) system.^[3]