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Pegasus

The Pegasus-XL vehicle, a "stretched" version of the original Pegasus vehicle, can place a 400 to 1,000 pound payload into low-Earth orbit.

During a typical flight, the launch aircraft is maneuvered to a predetermined site safely out of range of any populated area. The aircraft climbs to an altitude of 38,000 feet and the Pegasus-XL is released from the belly of the L-101 1. The Pegasus-XL begins an unpowered descent at a rate of approximately 60 feet-per-second while the first-stage arms and prepares for ignition. Forward velocity of Pegasus during the descent is the same as the launch aircraft or Mach 0.8, which is approximately 524 miles per hour. After 5 seconds in free fall, stage-one's solid rocket motor, manufactured by Hercules Aerospace, fires and burns for approximately 71 seconds. The Pegasus 22 foot, delta-shaped wing begins to produce lift as the Pegasus accelerates, and the launch vehicle begins a 2.5 g-force pull-up. As Pegasus climbs, the booster experiences maximum dynamic pressure (Max-q) of approximately 1,200 pounds per square foot approximately 30 seconds after first-stage ignition. (For comparison, on a typical space shuttle launch, Max-q is equal to approximately 600-700 pounds per square foot.)

The second stage Hercules solid fuel motor ignites about I minute 35 seconds into the flight at an altitude of 37 miles and at approximately 2 minutes, the payload fairing is ejected. The second stage flies to an altitude of approximately l29 miles with a velocity of over 12,000 miles per hour. At the appropriate altitude to achieve the designated orbit, the third stage Hercules motor ignites and burns for 1 minute and 6 seconds to place its payload into orbit.

RESOURCES

• Pegasus XL Vehicle Home Page
• The Pegasus Vehicle NASA/KSC - February 23 l994

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