Pegasus XL
Pegasus familyOrbital Sciences CorporationActive
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
- Thrust
- 580 kN
- Height
- 17.6 m
- Diameter
- 1.27 m
- Launch mass
- 23 t
- Stages
- 3
- Launch cost
- $40M
- LEO capacity
- 443 kg
- GTO capacity
- 0 kg
Specifications from Launch Library. Figures the operator has not published are omitted.
Flight record
First flight June 27, 1994 · latest July 3, 2026 · 08:36 UTC
Counted from padside's own launch record, the same basis as the stats page.
Flights per year
- Successful
- Failed
Show the numbers for Pegasus XL flights per year
| Year | Successful | Failed | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 1995 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 1996 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| 1997 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| 1998 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 1999 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2000 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2001 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2002 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2003 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| 2004 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2005 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2006 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 2007 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2008 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 2009 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2010 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2011 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2012 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2013 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2014 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2017 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2020 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2022 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2026 | 1 | 0 | 1 |