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Minotaur launch successful

4/17/2006 - VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFPN) -- A Minotaur rocket was successfully launched at 6:40 p.m. April 14 from Space Launch Complex-8 on south Vandenberg.

The rocket launched the COSMIC spacecraft, which consists of six low-earth orbiting, micro-satellites. COSMIC stands for Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere and Climate.

While in orbit, the weather and climate-research satellites will form a globe-spanning constellation to collect data on atmospheric moisture. The first of its kind, the constellation will provide atmospheric data in real time. The five-year mission's intent is to improve weather forecasts and monitor climate change.

The Minotaur rocket is a ground-based variant of the air-launched Pegasus rocket. It is capable of launching up to 3,000 pounds into a low-Earth orbit and up to 800 pounds into geosynchronous transfer orbit.