Minotaur 1 Rocket Launched (with video) “Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE: ORB), one of the world’s leading space technology companies, announced that it successfully launched a Minotaur I rocket in support of the Department of Defense Operationally Responsive Space Office’s ORS-3 mission earlier this evening. Originating from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, located at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in eastern Virginia, this mission marks the 25th launch for the Minotaur rocket, all […]

Air Force sets up competition for rocket launches, Washington Post “It’s obvious that the current prices we’re paying are just too high,” Richard McKinney, deputy undersecretary of the Air Force for space programs, said in an inter- view last month at the Pentagon. … The Air Force says it’s willing to take more risk with the lower-cost missions, giving newcomers the opportunity “to gain experience operating with government pay- loads,” […]

NASA OIG: Review of NASA’s Acquisition of Commercial Launch Services “We found that NASA’s LSP acquired ELVs from 2008 through 2009 that were within costs and timeframes established by the NLS contracts. However, we also found that NASA’s published strategy for acquiring medium-class launch vehicles after 2010 may not be the most cost-effective or advantageous to the Government because it did not include as a possible option use of Minotaur, […]