Orbital Sciences is planning to launch its third Minuteman-based Minotaur booster from Vandenberg AFB, California, in May on an $80 million US Air Force Research Laboratory mission carrying the XSS-11 experimental satellite.
The Lockheed Martin-built manoeuvrable satellite cost $21 million and will demonstrate rendezvous and station-keeping technologies, including laser ranging. Controlled from Kirtland AFB, New Mexico, the 100kg XSS-11 will rendezvous with unidentified target satellites and send back up to 200 images a day.
The US Department of Defense has referred to the XSS-11 as a prototype of a proposed "kinetic anti-satellite weapon" that could be used to disable enemy surveillance satellites and inspect unidentified objects in orbit. Similar technology will have to be used for NASA's planned Mars sample return mission, in which an ascent craft will be required to dock with an orbital mothership.
The previous experimental satellite, XSS-10, launched in 2004, successfully manoeuvred within 100m of the launcher's spent upper stage.
Orbital's Minotaur comprises the first two stages of the Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missile, with the third and fourth stages from the company's Pegasus satellite launcher. The first Mino-taur was launched in January 2000, the second in July that year.
Source: Flight International
