APEX

Overview

Destination: Elliptical Orbit
Mission: Planetary Science

Elliptical Orbit Edwards Air Force Base Air launch to orbit

APEX (Advanced Photovoltaic & Electronic Experiment) successfully tested a wide array of advanced photovoltaic and electronic components in a harsh radiation environment, provided significant data to support improved designs for future space systems. During operation, APEX's highly elliptical orbit allowed the investigation of space plasma effects on high-voltage operation (current leakage at positive voltages and arcing at negative voltages) in the perigee region, plus the investigation of space radiation effects (decreased array power output from passage through the inner radiation belt) in the apogee region.

Pegasus

Family:
Configuration:

The Pegasus is an air-launched rocket developed by Orbital Sciences Corporation (now part of Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems). Capable of carrying small payloads of up to 443 kilograms (977 lb) into low Earth orbit, the vehicle consists of three solid propellant stages and an optional monopropellant fourth stage. Pegasus is released from its carrier aircraft at approximately 40,000 ft (12,000 m), and its first stage has a wing and a tail to provide lift and attitude control while in the atmosphere.

Specifications
  • Stages
    3
  • Length
    16.9 m
  • Diameter
    1.27 m
  • Fairing Diameter
  • Launch Mass
    18.0 T
  • Thrust
    580.0 kN
Family
  • Name
    Pegasus
  • Family
  • Variant
  • Alias
  • Full Name
    Pegasus
Payload Capacity
  • Launch Cost
    $40000000
  • Low Earth Orbit
    443.0 kg
  • Geostationary Transfer Orbit
  • Direct Geostationary
  • Sun-Synchronous Capacity

Orbital Sciences Corporation

Orbital Sciences Corporation

(OSC)

Successes: 65 Failures: 7 Pending: 0

Agency Type:

INFO WIKI

Air launch to orbit

Edwards Air Force Base


Electron
Deployed
1 hour, 51 minutes ago
The Wisdom God Guides (iQPS Launch 6)
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B - Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand

Synthetic aperture radar Earth observation satellite for Japanese Earth imaging company iQPS.


New Shepard
Success
18 hours, 12 minutes ago
NS-37
West Texas Suborbital Launch Site/ Corn Ranch - Corn Ranch, Van Horn, TX, USA

NS-37 is the 16th crewed flight for the New Shepard program and the 37th in the New Shepard program's history.


Long March 5
Success
19 hours, 57 minutes ago
TJSW-23
101 - Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China

Chinese classified satellite claimed to be for communication technology test purposes. Actual mission not known.


Electron
Success
3 days, 3 hours ago
Don't Be Such A Square (STP-S30)
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 (Launch Area 0 C) - Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia, USA

STP-S30 is a complex mission that will deliver research experiments and technology demonstrations to orbit for the DoD and contribute to future space…


Falcon 9
Success
3 days, 16 hours ago
Starlink Group 15-13
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 27 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Falcon 9
Success
3 days, 18 hours ago
Starlink Group 6-99
Launch Complex 39A - Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

A batch of 29 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Ariane 62
Success
4 days, 3 hours ago
Galileo L14 (FOC FM33 & FM34)
Ariane Launch Area 4 - Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana

Payload consists of two satellites for Europe's Galileo navigation system.


Atlas V 551
Success
4 days, 23 hours ago
Amazon Leo (LA-04)
Space Launch Complex 41 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

Amazon Leo, formerly known as Project Kuiper, is a mega constellation of satellites in Low Earth Orbit that will offer broadband internet access, thi…


Long March 4B
Success
5 days, 5 hours ago
Ziyuan-3-04
Launch Complex 9 - Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

The ZY-3 (Ziyuan-3, 'Resource-3') series represents China's first high-resolution, stereoscopic mapping satellites for civilian use. The second sa…


Falcon 9
Success
6 days, 3 hours ago
Starlink Group 6-82
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

A batch of 29 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.