Odyssey (TacRL-2)

Overview

Destination: Sun-Synchronous Orbit
Mission: Government/Top Secret

Sun-Synchronous Orbit Vandenberg Space Force Base Air launch to orbit

Payload for the US Space Force’s Tactically Responsive Launch program. It is a space domain awareness satellite that was procured under the Space Force's responsive launch program. The spacecraft was built in under a year and the launch provider was given three weeks of notice for the launch.

Updates

Cosmic_Penguin • June 13, 2021, 10:28 a.m.

Launch success.


Cosmic_Penguin • June 13, 2021, 8:55 a.m.

Launched


Nosu • June 10, 2021, 6:27 p.m.

Updating T-0 and setting GO


Nosu • June 9, 2021, 7:15 p.m.

NET June 13 based on navigational warnings


Nosu • June 8, 2021, 9:23 a.m.

Adding launch TBD June


Pegasus XL

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
  • Max Stage
    3
  • Length
    17.6 m
  • Diameter
    1.27 m
  • Fairing Diameter
  • Launch Mass
    23.0 T
  • Thrust
    580.0 kN
Family
  • Name
    Pegasus XL
  • Family
  • Variant
  • Alias
  • Full Name
    Pegasus XL
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

Related News

SpaceNews

Northrop Grumman’s Pegasus rocket launches U.S. Space Force mission

A Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket launched the U.S. Space Force Tactically Responsive Launch-2 (TacRL-2) mission June 13 at 1:11 a.m. Pacific from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.

Spaceflight Now

Pegasus rocket successful in responsive launch demonstration

A Northrop Grumman Pegasus rocket dropped from the belly of a carrier jet over the Pacific Ocean early Sunday and streaked into orbit with a small U.S. military space surveillance satellite named Odyssey, demonstrating a rapid launch capab…

Spaceflight Now

Hush-hush military satellite ready to ride Pegasus rocket into orbit

A small U.S. military satellite named Odyssey, designed and built in less than a year by a secretive new Space Force special projects unit, is set to launch early Sunday from an aircraft off the coast of California aboard a Northrop Grumma…

NASA Spaceflight

Pegasus XL rocket successfully launches Tactically Responsive Launch demo for Space Force

Northrop Grumman’s air-launched Pegasus XL rocket made a low-profile launch for the US Space Force Sunday, in a mission designed to demonstrate the ability to call up and conduct a launch at short notice. The launch occurred off the coast …

Air launch to orbit

Vandenberg Space Force Base


Atlas V 551
Success
2 days, 2 hours ago
Amazon Leo (LA-05)
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…


Soyuz 2.1a/Fregat-M
Success
3 days, 2 hours ago
Meridian-M No.21L
43/3 (43L) - Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation

Note: Payload identity uncertain. Meridian is a series of communications satellite for military and civilian use.


Tianlong-3
Failure
3 days, 4 hours ago
Demo Flight
Tianlong-3 Launch Pad - Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

First test launch of Space Pioneer’s Tianlong-3 rocket.


Falcon 9
Success
3 days, 20 hours ago
Starlink Group 10-58
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.


Space Launch System (SLS)
Success
4 days, 9 hours ago
Artemis II
Launch Complex 39B - Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

Artemis II is the first crewed mission as part of the Artemis program. Artemis II will send a crew of 4 - 3 Americans and 1 Canadian around the moon …


Falcon 9
Success
6 days, 11 hours ago
Starlink Group 10-44
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.


Falcon 9
Success
6 days, 21 hours ago
Transporter 16 (Dedicated SSO Rideshare)
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

Dedicated rideshare flight to a sun-synchronous orbit with dozens of small microsatellites and nanosatellites for commercial and government customers.


Kinetica 2
Success
6 days, 21 hours ago
Demo Flight (Qingzhou Prototype Spacecraft)
Launch Area 140 - Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

First test launch and mission of CAS Space’s Kinetica-2 rocket, with 3 spacecraft on board: * New March 02 (Qingzhou space station cargo resupply …


Electron
Success
1 week, 1 day ago
Daughter Of The Stars (LEO-PNT Pathfinder A)
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A - Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand

The European Space Agency (ESA)'s LEO-PNT (Low Earth Orbit Positioning, Navigation and Timing) demonstrator mission will feature a 10-satellite const…


Long March 2C/YZ-1S
Success
1 week, 3 days ago
Shiyan 33
Launch Area 94 (SLS-2 / 603) - Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Chinese satellite reported to be for "space environment research" purposes. Actual usage not known.