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Launch detail

Minotaur IV | NROL-129

Name: Minotaur IV | NROL-129
Start: 2020-07-15T13:00:00.000Z
End: 2020-07-15T13:46:00.000Z
Location: Launch Area 0 B

Northrop Grumman Space Systems • Minotaur IV • Launch Area 0 B (NA)

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SuccessROUTINE

NROL-129

Northrop Grumman Space Systems • Minotaur IV • LA-0

T- countdown

Classified payload for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office.

Rocket profile

Minotaur IV

Photo credit: USAF•License: Department of Defense Image Use Policy•Single-use

Length: 23.9 m

Diameter: 2.35 m

Reusable: No

Manufacturer

Provider

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Minotaur IV launches across time.

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Launch news

Linked via Spaceflight News API (SNAPI).

9 items

Article

Spaceflight NowJul 17, 2020

Photos: Minotaur rocket vaults into orbit from Virginia

Article

ArstechnicaJul 17, 2020

Rocket Report: Another Chinese launch failure, Minotaur IV soars

Article

Spaceflight NowJul 15, 2020

Minotaur rocket successfully deploys four NRO satellites in orbit

Article

NASASpaceflightJul 15, 2020

Northrop Grumman successfully launches NROL-129 from MARS

ArticleFeatured

SpaceNewsJul 15, 2020

Northrop Grumman Minotaur 4 launches NRO mission, its first from Virginia spaceport

Article

Spaceflight NowJul 14, 2020

Minotaur rocket ready to launch four payloads for U.S. spy satellite agency

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Launch info

Provider

Northrop Grumman Space Systems

Vehicle

Minotaur IV

Pad

Launch Area 0 B (LA-0)

State

NET

2020-07-15T13:46:00+00:00

Window start

2020-07-15T13:00:00+00:00

Window end

2020-07-15T13:46:00+00:00

Orbit

Low Earth Orbit

Mission type

Government/Top Secret

Launch site

Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia, USA

Reusable

LEO capacity (kg)

1735

Pad satellite view

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Satellite preview

Launch Area 0 B

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Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia, USA37.83100, -75.49110Provider map

NROL-129

Classified payload for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office.

Rocket

Minotaur IV

Manufacturer: Orbital ATK

The Minotaur IV launch system is derived from the Peacekeeper ICBM. The first three stages are taken directly from decommissioned Peacekeeper missiles. A fourth stage, the Orion-38, is taken from the Pegasus family of air-launched rockets.

Maiden flight

2010-09-26

Launch mass (t)

Vehicle wiki

Links & sources

Watch coverageLive/Replay Pad satellite mapSatellite Rocket wikiReference Mission infoInfo NROL-129 Minotaur IV Launch July 15, 2020Official Webcast

Service provider

Northrop Grumman Space Systems

Provider news

Commercial • USA

Northrup Grumman Space Systems designs, builds and delivers space, defence and aviation-related systems to customers around the world. They aquired Orbital ATK in 2018 along with its launchers and ongoing missions.

Objects from this launch

34 objects

SATCAT inventory for 2020-046

Last checked: 2026-03-10T06:11:00.437+00:00

Last success: 2026-03-10T06:11:00.437+00:00

Last non-empty: 2026-03-10T06:11:00.437+00:00

Latest snapshot: 2026-03-10T06:11:00.437+00:00

Snapshot hash: 2057af8463b759ebe78215909a58d624a0f95c2faf34b819f401d7775c6f32dd

LL2 payloads: 0SATCAT payloads: 4Delta: +4RB: 1DEB: 29UNK: 0

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SATCAT payload objects

USA 305
2020-046ANORAD 45873PAYUnited States (US)Ops: +Data: NEA
Technical details
Orbit type: ORBOrbit center: EALaunch site: WLPISPeriod: 93.68 min
Inc: 54.0°
450 km → 459 km
USA 306
2020-046BNORAD 45874PAYUnited States (US)Ops: +Data: NEA
Technical details
Orbit type: ORBOrbit center: EALaunch site: WLPISPeriod: 93.24 min
Inc: 54.0°
431 km → 435 km
USA 307
2020-046CNORAD 45875PAYUnited States (US)Ops: +Data: NEA
Technical details
Orbit type: ORBOrbit center: EALaunch site: WLPISPeriod: 93.67 min
Inc: 54.0°
449 km → 460 km
USA 308
2020-046DNORAD 45876PAYUnited States (US)Ops: +Data: NEA
Technical details
Orbit type: ORBOrbit center: EALaunch site: WLPISPeriod: 94.32 min
Inc: 54.0°
480 km → 491 km

SATCAT non-payload objects

MINOTAUR 4 DEB
2020-046AANORAD 52036DEBUnited States (US)Ops: D
Technical details
Orbit type: IMPOrbit center: EALaunch site: WLPISPeriod: 90.69 min
Inc: 53.9°
295 km → 322 km
MINOTAUR 4 DEB
2020-046ABNORAD 52037DEBUnited States (US)
Technical details
Orbit type: ORBOrbit center: EALaunch site: WLPISPeriod: 95.74 min
Inc: 54.0°
547 km → 561 km
MINOTAUR 4 DEB
2020-046ACNORAD 52975DEBUnited States (US)Ops: D
Technical details
Orbit type: IMPOrbit center: EALaunch site: WLPISPeriod: 96.83 min
Inc: 54.3°
564 km → 650 km
MINOTAUR 4 DEB
2020-046ADNORAD 52976DEBUnited States (US)Ops: D
Technical details
Orbit type: IMPOrbit center: EALaunch site: WLPISPeriod: 96.43 min
Inc: 54.3°
552 km → 623 km
MINOTAUR 4 DEB
2020-046AENORAD 52977DEBUnited States (US)Ops: D
Technical details
Orbit type: IMPOrbit center: EALaunch site: WLPISPeriod: 92.03 min
Inc: 54.0°
359 km → 389 km
MINOTAUR 4 DEB
2020-046AFNORAD 52978DEBUnited States (US)Ops: D
Technical details
Orbit type: IMPOrbit center: EALaunch site: WLPISPeriod: 95.35 min
Inc: 54.1°
532 km → 539 km
MINOTAUR 4 DEB
2020-046AGNORAD 52979DEBUnited States (US)Ops: D
Technical details
Orbit type: IMPOrbit center: EALaunch site: WLPISPeriod: 94.71 min
Inc: 54.1°
499 km → 511 km
MINOTAUR 4 DEB
2020-046AHNORAD 52980DEBUnited States (US)Ops: D
Technical details
Orbit type: IMPOrbit center: EALaunch site: WLPISPeriod: 96.18 min
Inc: 54.1°
551 km → 600 km
MINOTAUR 4 DEB
2020-046AJNORAD 52981DEBUnited States (US)Ops: D
Technical details
Orbit type: IMPOrbit center: EALaunch site: WLPISPeriod: 91.77 min
Inc: 53.9°
356 km → 367 km
MINOTAUR 4 DEB
2020-046AKNORAD 54256DEBUnited States (US)
Technical details
Orbit type: ORBOrbit center: EALaunch site: WLPISPeriod: 94.33 min
Inc: 54.2°
473 km → 500 km
MINOTAUR 4 DEB
2020-046FNORAD 50148DEBUnited States (US)Ops: D
Technical details
Orbit type: IMPOrbit center: EALaunch site: WLPISPeriod: 89.01 min
Inc: 54.2°
218 km → 233 km
MINOTAUR 4 DEB
2020-046GNORAD 50149DEBUnited States (US)Ops: D
Technical details
Orbit type: IMPOrbit center: EALaunch site: WLPISPeriod: 95.67 min
Inc: 54.0°
526 km → 576 km
MINOTAUR 4 DEB
2020-046HNORAD 50150DEBUnited States (US)Ops: D
Technical details
Orbit type: IMPOrbit center: EALaunch site: WLPISPeriod: 90.67 min
Inc: 53.9°
297 km → 317 km
MINOTAUR 4 DEB
2020-046JNORAD 50151DEBUnited States (US)Ops: D
Technical details
Orbit type: IMPOrbit center: EALaunch site: WLPISPeriod: 88.14 min
Inc: 54.0°
177 km → 188 km
MINOTAUR 4 DEB
2020-046KNORAD 50152DEBUnited States (US)Ops: D
Technical details
Orbit type: IMPOrbit center: EALaunch site: WLPISPeriod: 92.92 min
Inc: 54.2°
412 km → 424 km
MINOTAUR 4 DEB
2020-046LNORAD 50153DEBUnited States (US)Ops: D
Technical details
Orbit type: IMPOrbit center: EALaunch site: WLPISPeriod: 92.70 min
Inc: 54.0°
387 km → 426 km
MINOTAUR 4 DEB
2020-046MNORAD 50154DEBUnited States (US)Ops: D
Technical details
Orbit type: IMPOrbit center: EALaunch site: WLPISPeriod: 91.09 min
Inc: 53.9°
316 km → 339 km
MINOTAUR 4 DEB
2020-046NNORAD 50155DEBUnited States (US)Ops: D
Technical details
Orbit type: IMPOrbit center: EALaunch site: WLPISPeriod: 93.49 min
Inc: 54.1°
430 km → 460 km
MINOTAUR 4 DEB
2020-046PNORAD 51451DEBUnited States (US)Ops: D
Technical details
Orbit type: IMPOrbit center: EALaunch site: WLPISPeriod: 91.75 min
Inc: 54.1°
341 km → 380 km
MINOTAUR 4 DEB
2020-046QNORAD 51452DEBUnited States (US)Ops: D
Technical details
Orbit type: IMPOrbit center: EALaunch site: WLPISPeriod: 92.70 min
Inc: 53.9°
394 km → 420 km
MINOTAUR 4 DEB
2020-046RNORAD 51453DEBUnited States (US)Ops: D
Technical details
Orbit type: IMPOrbit center: EALaunch site: WLPISPeriod: 94.78 min
Inc: 54.3°
492 km → 524 km
MINOTAUR 4 DEB
2020-046SNORAD 51454DEBUnited States (US)Ops: D
Technical details
Orbit type: IMPOrbit center: EALaunch site: WLPISPeriod: 92.30 min
Inc: 54.3°
370 km → 405 km
MINOTAUR 4 DEB
2020-046TNORAD 51455DEBUnited States (US)Ops: D
Technical details
Orbit type: IMPOrbit center: EALaunch site: WLPISPeriod: 90.02 min
Inc: 54.1°
268 km → 283 km
MINOTAUR 4 DEB
2020-046UNORAD 52030DEBUnited States (US)Ops: D
Technical details
Orbit type: IMPOrbit center: EALaunch site: WLPISPeriod: 96.01 min
Inc: 54.2°
543 km → 592 km
MINOTAUR 4 DEB
2020-046VNORAD 52031DEBUnited States (US)Ops: D
Technical details
Orbit type: IMPOrbit center: EALaunch site: WLPISPeriod: 88.68 min
Inc: 54.0°
203 km → 215 km
MINOTAUR 4 DEB
2020-046WNORAD 52032DEBUnited States (US)Ops: D
Technical details
Orbit type: IMPOrbit center: EALaunch site: WLPISPeriod: 93.92 min
Inc: 54.0°
446 km → 487 km
MINOTAUR 4 DEB
2020-046XNORAD 52033DEBUnited States (US)Ops: D
Technical details
Orbit type: IMPOrbit center: EALaunch site: WLPISPeriod: 95.54 min
Inc: 54.2°
522 km → 568 km
MINOTAUR 4 DEB
2020-046YNORAD 52034DEBUnited States (US)Ops: D
Technical details
Orbit type: IMPOrbit center: EALaunch site: WLPISPeriod: 95.68 min
Inc: 54.3°
524 km → 579 km
MINOTAUR 4 DEB
2020-046ZNORAD 52035DEBUnited States (US)Ops: D
Technical details
Orbit type: IMPOrbit center: EALaunch site: WLPISPeriod: 89.50 min
Inc: 54.0°
243 km → 257 km
MINOTAUR 4 R/B
2020-046ENORAD 45877RBUnited States (US)
Technical details
Orbit type: ORBOrbit center: EALaunch site: WLPISPeriod: 95.58 min
Inc: 54.0°
540 km → 553 km

Change log

Launch update history

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Summary

Details

Update 1

NET updated

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Update 2

Status changed

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Update 3

Window refined

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Launch story

Mission stats

Provider, rocket, pad, and booster history tied to this launch.

2026 snapshot

Provider legacy

Northrop Grumman Space Systems

Lifetime launches

2 in 2026

Northrop Grumman Space Systems has 6 launches on record, with 2 in 2026.

Rocket track record

Minotaur IV

Successful missions

1 in 2026

Minotaur IV has 5 successful missions on record, with 1 in 2026.

Pad history

Launch Area 0 B

Pad launches

1 in 2026

Launch Area 0 B has 7 launches from this pad on record, with 1 in 2026.

Rocket reliability

100% all time

2026: 100% (1/1)

Pad turnaround

2429d 12h

Reported pad reuse cadence.

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