Caltech Space Challenge

Pegasus was conceived on April 8, 1987 as the smallest economically practicable space launch vehicle that could be developed within the budget and capabilities of a small start-up with no government or large financial backing. Air-dropping the rocket rather than lifting off vertically from pad both reduced the size of the rocket and eliminated the need to develop multiple launch sites for different orbits. Pegasus was developed by a small (40 person) fully-dedicated team in three days short of three years, and is still in use today, having successfully placed in orbit 80 satellites in 40 launches in the past 26 years. The speaker was personally involved in the development and early flights of Pegasus, and will share his recollections, lessons learned, successes and disappointments.