Orbital Sciences Minotaur II
The Minotaur II, also known as OSP-TLV (Orbital Suborbital Program - Target Launch Vehicle), is a retired LGM-30F Minuteman II ICBM used as a target vehicle in tests of ICBM interceptor missiles. After a demonstration flight on 28 May 2000, Minotaur II rockets were used as targets for six tests of the GBI interceptor between 4 December 2001 and 11 December 2002. The final flight on 21 March 2007 was for testing the SBX (Sea-Based X-band) radar system.
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| Photo: Orbital Sciences |
| Minotaur II |
Between 23 August 2007 and 7 July 2022, three Minotaur II+ rockets were launched. These were retired LGM-30G Minuteman III missiles, which used an Aerojet/Thiokol SR73-AJ/TC-1 motor as 3rd stage.
Specifications
Note: Data given by several sources show slight variations. Figures given below may therefore be inaccurate!
Data for Minotaur II:
| Length | 19.2 m (63 ft) |
| Diameter | 1.7 m (5 ft 6 in) (1st stage) |
| Weight | 36200 kg (79800 lb) |
| Speed | ? |
| Ceiling | ? |
| Range | 4000 km (2500 miles) with 400 kg (880 lb) payload |
| Propulsion | 1st stage: Thiokol M55 solid-fuel rocket; 933 kN (210000 lb) 2nd stage: Aerojet General SR19-AJ-1 solid-fuel rocket; 268 kN (60300 lb) 3rd stage: Hercules M57 solid-fuel rocket; 156 kN (35000 lb) |
Main Sources
[1] Gunter Krebs, Gunter's Space Page: Minotaur-2 (OSP-TLV)
Back to Directory of U.S. Military Rockets and Missiles, Appendix 4
Last Updated: 19 February 2026