Orbital Sciences SR19-SR19

Orbital Sciences Corp. (OSC) has built launchers for ballistic targets, which consisted of a stack of two Aerojet SR19-AJ-1 solid-propellant rockets. The motors are second stages of surplus LGM-30F Minuteman II missiles. Two MLRS rocket motors were strapped to the first stage to increase the lift-off thrust, and both stages were fitted with four stabilizing fins. The rocket had apparently no proper name, and was generally referred to by the stage sequence SR19-SR19 (or SR19/SR19).

Photo: Orbital Sciences

SR19-SR19

The first firing of an SR19-SR19 combination by OSC occurred on 6 September 1999. Until the last one on 28 April 2006, a total of seven launches had been conducted. The payloads were ballistic targets for tests by the U.S. Army and/or Missile Defense Agency.

Another ballistic missile target launcher, which uses two SR19 stages, is the Coleman LRALT (Long-Range Air-Launched Target).

Specifications

Note: Data given by several sources show slight variations. Figures given below may therefore be inaccurate!

Data for SR19-SR19:

Length	15.5 m (50 ft 10 in)
Diameter	1.32 m (4 ft 4 in)
Weight	15000 kg (33000 lb)
Altitude	300 km (185 miles)
Propulsion	Booster: 2x MLRS solid-fueled rocket 1st stage: Aerojet SR19-AJ-1 solid-fueled rocket; 268 kN (60300 lb) 2nd stage: Aerojet SR19-AJ-1 solid-fueled rocket; 268 kN (60300 lb)

Main Sources

[1] Mark Wade: Encyclopedia Astronautica
[2] Jonathan McDowell: Launch Vehicles
[3] Gunter Krebs: Gunter's Space Page

Back to Directory of U.S. Military Rockets and Missiles, Appendix 4

Last Updated: 19 October 2026