SPACE LAUNCH REPORT Pegasus (XL) Launch Vehicle Flight History by Variant/Year (1990-Present) by Ed Kyle, Last Update December 31, 2023 L(F) = Number of Launches(Number of Failures) Pegasus Pegasus Pegasus Hyper Taurus Pegasus H XL X* Lite* Orbital All Total Total Year L(F) L(F) L(F) L(F) L(F) L(F) L(F) ------------------------------------------------------------------ 1990 1(0) - - - - 1(0) 1(0) 1991 1(1) - - - - 1(1) 1(1) 1992 - - - - - - - 1993 2(0) - - - - 2(0) 2(0) 1994 2(1) - 1(1) - - 3(2) 3(2) 1995 - 1(0) 1(1) - - 2(1) 2(1) 1996 - 1(0) 4(1) - - 5(1) 5(1) 1997 - - 5(0) - - 5(0) 5(0) 1998 - 1(0) 5(0) - - 6(0) 6(0) 1999 - - 3(0) - - 3(0) 3(0) 2000 - 1(0) 1(0) - - 2(0) 2(0) 2001 - - - 1(1) - - 1(1) 2002 - - 1(0) - - 1(0) 1(0) 2003 - - 4(0) - 2(0) 4(0) 6(0) 2004 - - - 2(0) 1(0)+ - 3(0) 2005 - - 1(0) - 1(0) 1(0) 2(0) 2006 - - 1(0) - 1(0) 1(0) 2(0) 2007 - - 1(0) - 1(0) 1(0) 2(0) 2008 - - 2(0) - 1(0) 2(0) 3(0) 2009 - - - - - - - 2010 - - - - 3(0)% - 3(0) 2011 - - - - - - - 2012 - - 1(0) - - 1(0) 1(0) 2013 - - 1(0) - 2(0)# 1(0) 3(0) 2014 - - - - 1(0) - 1(0) 2015 - - - - - - - 2016 - - 1(0) - 1(0)$ 1(0) 2(0) 2017 - - - - 1(0)x - 1(0) 2018 - - - - - - - 2019 - - 1(0) - 2(0)y 1(0) 3(0) 2020 - - - - - - - 2021 - - 1(0) - 1(0)z 1(0) 2(0) 2022 - - - - - - - 2023 - - - - 1(0)q - 1(0) ------------------------------------------------------------------ Pegasus Pegasus Pegasus Hyper Taurus Pegasus H XL X* Lite* Orbital All Total Total L(F) L(F) L(F) L(F) L(F) L(F) ------------------------------------------------------------------ Suborb - - - 3(1) 19(0) - 22(1) Orbit 6(2) 4(0) 35(3) - - 45(5) 45(5) Total 6(2) 4(0) 35(3) 3(1) 19(0) 45(5) 67(6) ------------------------------------------------------------------ Footnotes: * Suborbital Flights. Hyper-X is drop-launched Pegasus first stage only. "Taurus-Lite" (Orbital Boost Vehicle) is modified three-stage Pegasus-XL without wings, vertically launched from a flat pad or from a silo. OBV deployed at Greely, AL and VAFB, CA beginning in 2004. + Does not include 12-15-2004 missile defense test failure during which Taurus-Lite OBV-4 with EKV prototype kill vehicle did not launch from Kwajalien silo to intercept simulated attacking missile launched from Kodiak, Alaska. % Two 3-stage OBV flights and one 2-stage OBV "booster validation" test flight. # First test 1/26/13 had no planned target. Second test 7/5/13 fired to intercept target launched from Kwajalein. Failed to intercept. Interceptor failed to separate from third stage. Suspected battery failure. $ Tested alternate divert thrusters on EKV. No intercept planned, but a target was launched from a C-17 over the Pacific Ocean for tracking purposes. July 6, 2016 LA Times article revealed that one EKV divert thruster failed. x FTG-15. First test against ICBM type target launched from Kwajalein. First C2 OBV (GBI) version. First CE-2 Blk 1 EKV intercept. Intercept successful. y FTG-11. Salvo ABM launch against ICBM-T2 target launched from Kwajalein. Reported successful intercept by first kill vehicle. Second EKV targeted 2nd most-threatening object. Launch from VAFB LF-23 and LF-05. z BTV-03 GBI development test flight from VA LF24. Test of selectible 2-stage mode of 3-stage vehicle. Non-intercept test flight. q 12/11/23 GBI FTG-12 Development Test from VA LF24. Test of selectible 2-stage mode of 3-stage GBI vehicle. Intercepted test target launched drop-launched from C-17. "Increment 6B configuration". Comprehensive Pegasus Failure List Date Vehicle ID Site Payload Result# ------------------------------------------------------------------ 7/17/1991 Pegasus/HAPS F2 EAFB B-52 7xMicrosat (LEO) 5/19/1994 Pegasus/HAPS F5 EAFB B-52 STEP 2 (LEO) 6/27/1994 Pegasus XL F6 V L-1011 STEP 1 FTO 6/22/1995 Pegasus XL F9 V L-1011 STEP 3 FTO 11/4/1996 Pegasus XL F14 WI L-1011 SAC-B/HETE (LEO) 6/2/2001 Hyper X 1 EAFB B-52 X-43A (FSO) ------------------------------------------------------------------ Failure Description by Flight ID ------------------------------------------------------------------ [F2] 1st stg sep delay, low perigee (LEO) [F5] Incorrect (low) orbit (HAPS?) (LEO) [F6] 1st stg wing structure fail FTO [F9] 2nd stg failed, RSO FTO [F14] Battery fail, sats no sep 3rd stg (LEO) [Hyper X F1] Control failure (suborbital) (FSO) ------------------------------------------------------------------ # FTO: Failed to Orbit (EEO): Unintended Eliptical Earth Orbit (GTO): Unintended Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (LEO): Unintended/Improper Low Earth Orbit (FSO): Failed Suborbital "EAFB": Edwards Air Force Base, California "V": Vandenberg AFB, California "WI": Wallops Island Launch Site, Virginia Pegasus Configurations ------------------------------------------------------------------ LEO Configuration Length GLOW (tonnes) (meters) (tonnes) [1]400 km x 28.5 deg [2]400 km x 90 deg ================================================================== Pegasus [1] 0.36 t 3-Stg Pegasus 15 m 18.6 t [2] 0.27 t Orion 50S + 50 + 38 Pegasus XL [1] 0.40 t 3-Stg Pegasus XL 16.9 m 23.13 t [2] 0.3 t Orion 50SXL + 50XL + 38 + optional HAPS ================================================================== Pegasus Components ------------------------------------------------------------------ Stage 1 Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4 Orion Orion Orion Orion Orion HAPS 50S 50SXL 50 50XL 38 ================================================================== Dia (m) 1.28 m 1.28 m 1.28 m 1.28 m 0.97 m .97 Len (m) 9.39m 10.27 m 3.84 m 4.29 m 1.34 m .3 Mp (t) 12.15 t 15.01 t 3.02 t 3.93 t 0.77 t 0.07 t GLOW (t) 14.02 t 16.38 t 3.37 t 4.35 t 0.89 t 0.09 t Eng Mfgr ATK ATK ATK ATK ATK Olin Fuel Solid Solid Solid Solid Solid N2H4 Oxidizer Solid Solid Solid Solid Solid T(Vac t) 59.5 t 74.03 t 12.65 t 20.03 t 3.66 t 0.07 t ISP (SL s) ISP (Vac s) s 295 s s 289 s 287 s 236 s Tburn (sec) 72 s 68.6 s 75.9 s 69.4 s 68.5 s 241 s No. Eng 1 1 1 1 1 3 ================================================================== PEGASUS ORBITAL SPACE LAUNCH LOG ------------------------------------------------------------------ DATE VEHICLE ID PAYLOAD MASS(kg) SITE ORBIT ================================================================== 04/05/90 Pegasus F1 SECS/Pegsat 246 ED B LEP 07/17/91 Pegasus HAPS F2 Microsat 1-7 159 ED B [LEO] 02/09/93 Pegasus F3 SCD 1/Orbcomm-CDS 1 129 CC B LEO 04/25/93 Pegasus F4 ALEXIS/Orbcomm-CDS 2 129 ED B LEO 05/19/94 Pegasus HAPS F5 STEP 2 (P91-2, SIDEX) 180 ED B [LEO] 06/28/94 Pegasus-XL F6 STEP 1 (P90-1) 352 VA L [FTO] 08/03/94 Pegasus F7 APEX 260 ED B EEO 04/03/95 Pegasus-H F8 Orbview 1/Orbcomm 1-2 148 VA L LEO 06/22/95 Pegasus-XL F9 STEP 3 (P92-2) 268 VA L [FTO] 03/09/96 Pegasus-XL F10 REX 2 (P94-2) 110 VA L LEP 05/17/96 Pegasus-H F11 MSTI 3 211 VA L SSO 07/02/96 Pegasus-XL F12 TOMS-EP 295 VA L SSO 08/21/96 Pegasus-XL F13 FAST (SMEX 2) 191 VA L EEO 11/04/96 Pegasus-XL F14 SAC-B / HETE 1 309 WI L [LEO] 04/21/97 Pegasus-XL F15 Minisat 1/Celestis 1 195 GA L LER 08/01/97 Pegasus-XL F16 OrbView 2 309 VA L SSO 08/29/97 Pegasus-XL F17 FORTE (P94-1) 215 VA L LEO 10/22/97 Pegasus-XL F18 STEP 4 (P95-1) 403 WI L LEO 12/23/97 Pegasus-XL HAPS F19 Orbcomm 5-12 320 WI L LEO 02/26/98 Pegasus-XL F20 SNOE / BATSAT (T1) 235 VA L SSO 04/02/98 Pegasus-XL F21 TRACE (NASA) 213 VA L SSO 08/02/98 Pegasus-XL/HAPS F22 Orbcomm FM 13-20 320 WI L LEO 09/23/98 Pegasus-XL/HAPS F23 Orbcomm FM 21-28 320 WI L LEO 10/23/98 Pegasus-XL F24 SCD 2 117 CC L LEO 12/06/98 Pegasus-XL F25 SWAS (NASA) 213 VA L LEO 03/05/99 Pegasus-XL F26 WIRE (NASA) 254 VA L SSO 05/18/99 Pegasus-XL HAPS F27 TERRIERS/MUBLCOM 173 VA L SSO 12/04/99 Pegasus-XL HAPS F28 Orbcomm FM 29-35 315 VA L LEO 06/07/00 Pegasus XL F29 TSX-5 250 VA L EEO 10/09/00 Pegasus F30 HETE-2 124 KW L LEO 02/05/02 Pegasus XL F31 HESSI (NASA) 304 CC L LEO 01/25/03 Pegasus-XL F32 SORCE 315 CC L LEO 04/28/03 Pegasus XL F33 GALEX 312 CC L LEO 06/26/03 Pegasus XL F34 Orbview 3 360 CC L SSO 08/13/03 Pegasus XL F35 SciSat 1 150 VA L LEO 04/15/05 Pegasus XL HAPS F36 DART 300 VA L PEO 03/22/06 Pegasus XL F37 SpaceTech 5 075 VA L EEO 04/25/07 Pegasus XL F38 AIM 200 VA L SSO 04/16/08 Pegasus XL F39 C/NOFS 395 KW L LEO 10/19/08 Pegasus XL F40 Star 27/IBEX 462 KW L LEO 06/13/12 Pegasus XL F41 NuStar 350 KW L LEO 06/28/13 Pegasus XL F42 IRIS 180 VA L SSO 12/15/16 Pegasus XL F43 CYGNSS 229 CC L LEO 10/11/19 Pegasus XL F44 ICON 288 CC L LEO 06/13/21 Pegasus XL F45 TacRL 2 VA L LEP ================================================================== [F2] 1st stg sep delay caused low, 356 x 454 km x 82 deg orbit. 719 km x 82 deg planned. Satellites decayed after only six months. 1st HAPS. [F5] Incorrect (low) orbit, 606 x 834 km x 81.9 deg versus planned 830 km circular. Possible HAPS issue. Satellite mission successful. [F6] 1st stg wing structure fail. [F7] 933 x 2,555 km x 70 deg orbit. Final B-52 launch. [F9] 2nd stg failed, RSO. Planned 450 km polar orbit. [F13] 350 × 4,200 km x 83 deg. Fast Auroral Snapshot Explorer. [F14] 3rd stg battery failure prevented payload deployment. [F15] Staged from Gando, Canary Islands. 570 x 577 km x 151 deg. [F18] 430 × 500 km x 45 deg. Solar panels failed to deploy. Satellite mission declared a failure. [F26] Upon reaching orbit, WIRE's cryogenic coolant evaporated prematurely, leaving main telescope useless. Onboard star tracker subsequently used to monitor stars for astroseismology. [F29] 410 x 1,750 km x 69 deg orbit. [F30] 598 × 641 km x 1.9 deg near-equatorial orbit. [F37] 301 x 4,568 km x 105.6 deg. Three x 25 kg microsatellites. ------------------------------------------------------------------ *Site Code: CC = Cape Canaveral, FL, USA ED = Edwards AFB, California, USA GA = Gando, Canary Islands, Spain KC = Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA KW = Kwajalein, Marshall Is. WI = Wallops Island VA = Vandenberg AFB, CA, USA B = NB52B L = L1011 **Orbit Code: EEO = Elliptical Earth Orbit EEM = Molynia (12-hr) Elliptical Earth Orbit FTO = Failed to Orbit FSO = Failed Suborbital GTO = Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit GTO+ = Supersynchronous or High Perigee Transfer Orbit GTO- = Subsynchronous Transfer Orbit GTOi = Inclined GTO GEO = Geosynchronous Orbit HCO = Heliocentric (solar) Orbit HTO = High Earth Transfer Orbit LEO = Low Earth Orbit LER = Retrograde LEO SSO = Sun Synchronous Low Earth Orbit PEO = Polar Low Earth Orbit MEO = Medium Earth OSOrbit MTO = Medium Earth Transfer Orbit SUB = Suborbital ================================================================== Jonathan's Space Report Launch Vehicle Database "http://www.planet4589.org/space/lvdb/index.html" Encylopedia Astronautica "http://www.astronautix.com/" Gunter's Space Page "http://www.skyrocket.de/space" TRW Space Logs, 1957-1996.