Conference 7.286::space

895.0. "New Taurus Rocket (Pegasus launched from a "Peacekeeper", AKA MX, rather than an airplane" by SKYLAB::FISHER (Carp Diem : Fish the Day) Mon Mar 14 1994 17:28

Date: Sun, 13 Mar 94 16:30:18 PST
Expires: Sun, 20 Mar 94 16:30:18 PST
ACategory: usa
Slugword: USA-LAUNCH
Priority: regular
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Xref: jac.zko.dec.com clari.news.gov.usa:13158 clari.tw.space:1182

	 VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif (Reuter) - The Defense
Department launched a new era in portable and low-cost rocketry
Sunday with the successful blastoff of a Taurus rocket carrying
two satellites into space.
	 The rocket soared aloft from Vandenberg Air Force Base at
2:30 p.m. PST and minutes later deployed two advanced-technology
satellites into polar circular orbits.
	 The Taurus represents a new generation of rocket that can be
launched with a small ground crew and portable equipment from
remote sites, eliminating the need for a fixed base and launch
pad, officials said.
	 Taurus ``successfully completed its maiden voyage today,
boosting two satellites into space,'' said Pentagon spokeswoman
Jan Walker.
	 One of the satellites will test ``technology for future
space navigation'' for the Air Force, Walker said. The other is
a classified project for the Defense Department.
	 Taurus' launch equipment can easily be moved and it requires
only a concrete pad that can support its weight, officials said.
In pre-launch tests, the Pentagon found that a Taurus launch
site could be created within eight days of the arrival of the
launch vehicle equipment.
	 Taurus' major advantage is ``the ability to use a piece of
ground about the size of a strip (shopping) mall parking lot to
set up a launch vehicle,'' said Air Force Staff Sergeant John
Dendy. ``They usually take up quite a bit more real estate.''
	 It was expected that the Taurus would significantly reduce
the cost of deploying smaller satellites.



Article 1183 of clari.tw.space:
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Approved: [email protected]
From: [email protected] (AP)
Newsgroups: clari.tw.space
Distribution: clari.apo
Subject: Rocket, 2 Satellites Launched
Keywords: U.S. news and features
Copyright: 1994 by The Associated Press, R
Message-ID: <[email protected]>
Date: Sun, 13 Mar 94 16:20:09 PST
Expires: Sun, 3 Apr 94 17:20:09 PDT
ACategory: usa
Slugword: Taurus-Launch
Priority: daily
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Codes: APO-1110
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	VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AP) -- A hybrid Taurus rocket
was launched on its maiden voyage Sunday carrying two satellites.
Officials hope it will provide a reliable way to reach orbit on
short notice.
	The Taurus combines a Peacekeeper intercontinental ballistic
missile with a three-stage Pegasus rocket that's usually launched
from beneath the wing of a large airplane. The Pegasus' wings are
removed in this combination.
	``What the whole Taurus program is designed to do is show we can
launch on demand,'' Maj. Billy Birdwell, spokesman for the 30th
Space Wing, said earlier this month.
	One satellite on Sunday's flight carried 10 Pentagon experiments
designed to make space systems less dependent on ground control.
The other satellite's purpose was classified.
	The mission cost more than $100 million, excluding the cost of
the classified satellite.