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: Pegasus
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 T
  • Thrust
    580 kN
Family
  • Name
    Pegasus
  • Family
    Pegasus
  • Variant
  • Alias
  • Full Name
    Pegasus
Payload Capacity
  • Launch Cost
    $40000000
  • Low Earth Orbit
    443 kg
  • Geostationary Transfer Orbit
  • Direct Geostationary
  • Sun-Synchronous Capacity

Orbital Sciences Corporation

Orbital Sciences Corporation

(OSC)

Successes: 65 Failures: 7 Pending: 0

Agency Type: Commercial

INFO WIKI

Air launch to orbit

Edwards Air Force Base


Long March 2
Success
2 days, 6 hours ago
Shenzhou 16
Launch Area 4 (SLS-1 / 921) - Jiuquan, People's Republic of China

Fifth crewed flight to the Chinese space station.


GSLV Mk II
Success
3 days, 2 hours ago
IRNSS-1J (NVS-01)
Satish Dhawan Space Centre Second Launch Pad - Satish Dhawan Space Centre, India

This is a replacement satellite for the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System. The constellation will provide India with an alternative to GPS …


Falcon 9
Success
5 days, 3 hours ago
BADR-8
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral, FL, USA

Geostationary communications satellite built by Airbus Defense and Space and based on the Eurostar Neo platform for Arabsat.


Soyuz 2.1a/Fregat-M
Success
5 days, 10 hours ago
Kondor-FKA No.1
Cosmodrome Site 1S - Vostochny Cosmodrome, Siberia, Russian Federation

The Kondor-FKA is a small civilian radar Earth observation satellite designed by NPO Mashinostroyeniya as a civilian counterpart to the Kondor-E sate…


Electron
Success
6 days, 4 hours ago
TROPICS-3
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B - Onenui Station, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand

Last two operational (TROPICS-06 & TROPICS-07) satellites for NASA's Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation Structure and Storm Intensity with a…


SpaceShipTwo
Success
6 days, 15 hours ago
VSS Unity 25
Spaceport America - Air launch to Suborbital flight

Virgin Galactic return to space mission ahead of the first commercial flight.


Nuri
Success
6 days, 22 hours ago
NEXTSat-2 & SNIPE
LC-2 - Naro Space Center, South Korea

Third flight of the KSLV-II "Nuri" launch vehicle, carrying NEXTSat-2 as well as SNIPE A through D.


Soyuz 2.1a
Success
1 week ago
Progress MS-23 (84P)
31/6 - Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan

Progress resupply mission to the International Space Station.


Falcon 9
Success
1 week, 3 days ago
Axiom Space Mission 2
Launch Complex 39A - Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

This is a Crew Dragon flight for a private company Axiom Space. The mission will carry a professionally trained commander alongside three private ast…


Long March 2
Success
1 week, 3 days ago
MUST-1A/B & Luojia-2 01
Launch Area 4 (SLS-2 / 603) - Jiuquan, People's Republic of China

Macau Science Satellite-1 (MUST-1A/B) are 2 magnetosphere research satellites from the Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST) aiming to st…