Spaceflight Now | Minotaur Launch Report | Minotaur rocket makes sunrise ascent from Virginia

The Mission

		Rocket: Minotaur 1 Payload: TacSat 2 and GeneSat 1 Date: Dec. 11, 2006 Window: 7-10 a.m. EST (1200-1500 GMT) Site: Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia Our launch story Preview story Launch events timeline Ground track map Earlier Minotaur coverage

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Minotaur rocket makes sunrise ascent from Virginia
Posted: December 16, 2006

The Orbital Sciences Minotaur 1 rocket launches at 7 a.m. from Virginia's Wallops Island carrying the Air Force's TacSat 2 and NASA's GeneSat 1 spacecraft.

Photo credit: NASA

Credit: NASA

Ares patch

The Ares Project will develop two new rockets to launch astronauts back to the Moon under NASA's Vision for Exploration. The Ares 1 will employ a single space shuttle solid rocket booster to loft the Orion crew capsule. The gigantic Ares 5 will haul the equipment and cargo needed for such lunar voyages. This is the Ares emblem.

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