ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH FROM MARS /WALLOPS

A U.S. Air Force Minotaur 1 rocket carrying the Department of Defense Operationally Responsive Space Office's ORS-1 satellite was successfully launched from NASA's Launch Range at the Wallops Flight Facility and the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport in Virginia.

"We are very pleased to continue our support to the U.S. Air Force and the Operationally Responsive Space Office (ORS) with today's successful launch," said Bill Wrobel, director of NASA's Wallops Flight Facility. "This is the fourth Minotaur 1 launch from Wallops since December 2006 and we look forward to collaborating with the Air Force and ORS on future projects."

ORS-1 is the Operationally Responsive Space Office's first operational satellite. Rapidly developing and fielding ORS-1 is an important step to demonstrate the capability to meet emerging and persistent war-fighter needs on operationally relevant timelines.

ORS-1 was launched onboard a Minotaur I rocket, integrated by Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC). The Minotaur I is a four-stage vehicle, two stages being refurbished Minuteman II stages and the other two stages being OSC developed. The Minotaur is about 70 feet tall and 5 feet wide.